Angel vs Demon
by ashly.passarge1
Summary: Set before season 5 to start. Our group of survivors have just escaped death once again and are trying to find shelter. Along the way, someone from Daryl's past finds herself crosses paths with Rick and his group.
1. Chapter 1: Reunion

Angel vs. Demon

Reunion

It was hot, and quiet but not too quiet like it had been. You could hear birds chirping in the trees and the wind rustling through the trees. At night the crickets chirped away like everything was still right with the world. Sadly though, what the animals didn't seem to realize was the world had come to an end, it was the apocalypse. Millions of people were dead, but not all of them stayed dead. There were many who were dead and walking around, eating anything that was alive that they could catch. The world was a much crueler place and you had to fight and be smart in order to survive it.

Two woman walked through the trees as they sought a safe place to stay, at least for the night. They never stayed any place more than a night, they were searching for someone. It had been five years since the end of the world and they had been searching ever since. There was someone they were determined to find, at least one them was.

"Marie, can we please just stop and rest for a bit? I'm tired, hungry and thirsty." Said the younger of the two.

"Yeah, I guess it wouldn't hurt to stop and take a little bit to catch our breath." Said Marie. She took her pack off her shoulder and set it down. She then took her rifle off her shoulder and checked it to make sure it was loaded. "I'm gonna go try and find us something to eat. Why don't you get a fire going and I'll be back shortly." She said as she handed her handgun over to the younger girl.

"Okay, just don't take too long. You know I'm not good with a gun." Said the younger woman.

"Yes I know Cassie, but you've handled yourself well enough so far. I'd say you're getting better my dear sister." Said Marie.

"Yea yea, whatever." Said Cassie.

Marie just smiled than headed off to find them something to eat. She was hoping to at least come across some rabbits. As she walked quietly through the woods, she didn't see a thing scurry through the trees, not even a squirrel. She kept walking, hoping she would eventually see something.

Right then, she spotted a deer off in the distant, eating some grass. She quietly inched her way closer, cocking her rifle as silently as possible so as not to scare it away. Once she was close enough, she carefully took aim. She made sure to take her time, making sure she had a good shot. She placed her finger on the trigger and once she had a good shot, she fired. As her bullet hit the deer, she noticed an arrow also did at the same time.

Marie quickly became alert and gazed around the trees looking for who that arrow belonged to. She could see a figure hunched behind a tree, and somehow, the figure seemed familiar. She still held her rifle ready anyway, just in case. She watched as the figure slowly moved out of their hiding spot. That's when she felt her heart almost stopped. The figure that had shot the arrow was someone she had known for years and who was the very person she had been searching for.

"Daryl." Marie managed to choke out.

Daryl seemed to only be able to stare at her, his expression unreadable.

Marie could picture what was going through his mind, he had probably never imagined she could survive this long. Or that she was still even in Georgia. He probably figured she would be long gone by now. How could she leave though knowing he was still out there somewhere? And she didn't know if he was alone or not. She could never leave him behind.

Unable to resist any longer, Marie dropped her rifle and walked forward to throw her arms around Daryl's neck, hugging him tight. She was the only person he would allow to do that. She could feel him slowly put his arms around her, returning her hug.

"I never stopped looking for you." Was all Marie could think to say at the moment.

"I wish I could say the same." Said Daryl. He sounded ashamed of himself.

Marie pulled back just enough so that she could look at Daryl. When she did, the look in his eyes when he looked at her was enough to make her heart ache.

"Daryl, don't. We're both alive and somehow we managed to find each other, that's what matters." She said.

Daryl just nodded but that look was still in his eyes, and he gazed down at the ground unable to look at her.

"Daryl Dixon, look at me." She paused, waiting for him to look at her again. "No one could have known this was gonna happen, no one could've predicted the world was gonna go to shit. What matters is that we're surviving in it and that we haven't given up."

"You don't hate me for not looking for you?" Asked Daryl.

"Of course not! Daryl, you're my best friend, nothing has ever changed that and nothing ever will! I never expected you to look for me Daryl. I mean I won't lie, I hoped you would but I never expected you to. I just knew I had to find you, I had to know you were okay. I couldn't just leave you behind." Said Marie.

"I know, that's the way it's always been. I never gave up hope that you were alive and that you were somewhere safe." Said Daryl.

"I'm only alive because of all that you taught me Dar, I wouldn't be here now if it weren't for you." Said Marie.

"I don't believe that. You're a strong woman Marie, you always have been. I believe you could survive anything." Said Daryl.

"I wish I could say that I believed that. I'm not as strong as you think." Said Marie.

"Now that's bullshit and you know it. After all the shit we've been through together, you're really gonna say that?" Asked Daryl.

"I was only strong because of you." Said Marie.

"Stop. You're the one that was always picking me back up, helping me keep going through all the shit that should've pulled me down. You never let me give up and every time I fell, you were right there for me. I'm the one that depended on you to be strong, not the other way around." Said Daryl.

"We made each other strong." Said Marie.

"Mar, stop. Quit doubting yourself. You were always the strongest woman I ever knew, hell the strongest person I know. You're the reason I've survived, the reason I keep on surviving." Said Daryl.

"Funny, didn't I use that line on you once or twice?" Asked Marie, unable to keep a smile off her face.

"More than that. It was at least once a day." Said Daryl.

Marie's smile widened. She hugged Daryl again, this time wrapping her arms around his midsection and holding him tight.

"I've missed you so much Daryl. I don't wanna ever lose you. I don't know what I'd ever do without you." She said.

"It's alright now, I'm here." Said Daryl as he hugged her, one arm wrapped around her and the other with his hand on her head. He had never felt as close to anyone as he did Marie, never had a bond with anyone like he did with her. He had always felt so comfortable with her, able to be himself around her and tell her anything and she would never judge him. She cared about him the way he was. He had always enjoyed and loved that about her. To him, she was the most amazing woman to ever grace the earth with her presence.

Just then, they heard a twig snap nearby which caused them to turn at the sound, pulling away from each other.

However, they saw that it was only Cassie. She had their packs with her and was looking apologetic.

"Sorry, didn't mean to interrupt." She said.

"It's okay Cass, sorry it's taken me so long." Said Marie.

"Yeah and I can see why. Hey Daryl, good to see you." Said Cassie.

"You too Cass." Said Daryl.

"So did you find us something to eat?" Asked Cassie, turning her attention to her sister.

Marie glanced at the dead deer and at Daryl before answering.

"Actually, I think that's a little debatable since Daryl and I shot this deer at the same time." She said.

"Well, why don't you both come back with me and we can share it. I mean, we'd be sharing it with a dozen other people too." Said Daryl.

"Wait, you're with a group?" Asked Cassie.

"Yeah. Why?" Asked Daryl.

"Nothing, just doesn't seem like you, being part of a group that's all." Said Cassie.

"Better than being alone." Said Daryl.

"Fair enough. Fine, lead the way Mr. Dixon. I know my dear sis won't argue since she hasn't stopped looking for you since all this started. She was gonna die looking for you if she could." Said Cassie.

"Geeh, thanks Cass." Said Marie.

Cassie just smiled at her sister, almost sarcastically.

Marie turned to look back at Daryl.

"You heard the lady, lead the way Mr. Dixon." She said.

Daryl nodded his head to her than walked over to the deer.

Marie walked over to assist her longtime friend with their kill.

With Marie's help, Daryl drug the deer toward where he and the others were currently staying. It didn't take long for them to reach their destination.

"This is it." Said Daryl as they approached an old house.

As they got closer to the house, Marie and Cassie couldn't help but feel nervous.

"Dar, wait. What if your friends don't exactly welcome us?" Asked Marie.

"Yeah, what if they just throw us right back out? I mean, it's not like we have anywhere else to go and I don't want to have to go back out there." Said Cassie.

"It has just been the two of us for so long, be nice to be part of a group for once, one we'd be able to trust." Said Marie.

"Look, you two are with me and that already makes you part of the group. I trust you which means they will too. There's no reason to be nervous, I won't let them throw you out. You're staying, I'll make sure of it." Said Daryl.

Marie couldn't help but smile knowing that the man she had called her best friend for so many years was willing to do whatever it took to make sure they became part of the group he was with, to vouch for them.

"After you then Mr. Dixon." She said.

Together her and Daryl carried the deer up on to the porch and set it down than Daryl gave the door a short knock before opening it and leading the way inside. He shut the door once Marie and Cassie were inside.

"Hey Rick. Come in here, need to have a word." Said Daryl, speaking loud enough he could be heard in any room of the house.

A minute or two later, a man entered the room. He looked at Daryl than stared between the two woman standing next to him, appearing almost as though he was studying them.

"This is Marie and her sister, Cassie. We grew up together, came across each other few miles back." Said Daryl.

Both Marie and Cassie smiled politely and waved to the man named Rick. He returned with a nod.

"Nice to meet you both." He said.

"Mar helped me take down a deer and bring it back." Said Daryl.

"Sounds like we'll be eating good tonight." Said Rick.

"They need a place to stay Rick. They've been alone til now." Said Daryl.

"Why don't we introduce them to the rest of the group than we'll make a decision from there." Said Rick.

Daryl nodded to Rick in understanding.

Rick led the way into the next room where a bunch of people were gathered, just sitting around, quiet. The windows were covered, making it dark in the room and the only light came from a few candles. All heads turned their way as they walked into the room.

"Hey guys, Daryl found a couple people while he was out, they need a safe place to stay and wish to join up with us." Said Rick.

As all eyes stared at them, Marie stayed as close to Daryl as she possibly could but still maintained a comfortable space for him. She could feel Cassie standing right behind her.

"That's all we need, another couple mouths to feed and another two to watch out for and protect." Said a muscular man with red hair.

"I can take care of myself, and my sister." Said Marie, not liking this guy's attitude.

"And Mar helped me bring back a deer, she knows how to hunt and survive. We were friends since we were kids, got separated when all this went down. I trust them both and I want them to stay." Said Daryl. He wasn't going to allow them to just push them back out the door, not without a fight.

"I say if Daryl trusts them than we should too." Said a young woman sitting next to an Asian guy.

Several people nodded in agreement even though not all did.

" I guess it's settled then, they stay." Said Rick.

Marie looked back at her sister and saw she was still a bit weary about this group but still happy they at least had a place to stay that had a roof and walls rather than trees and leaves. She then looked up at Daryl, smiling.

"Thank you." She said.

"'Least I could do after everything you've done for me Mar." Said Daryl. He set down his crossbow, leaning it against the wall. "C'mon, you can help me." He added to Marie, taking her rifle and pack, setting it next to his crossbow than pulled her gently by the arm back the porch, his hand barely on her arm.

"You don't owe me anything Dar, everything I've done is because I care about you and I never wanted to see you get hurt." Said Marie.

"Wasn't nothing you could do to stop it, and you did what you could for me. I'll always be grateful to you, and I do owe you no matter what you say." Said Daryl.

"I didn't do anything a friend wouldn't do for another." Said Marie.

"Mar, stop. You did way more than that. I know you would have done anything you could for me, you still would. That's more than just a friend would do." Said Daryl.

Marie found she couldn't say anything to that, she was out of argument. She knew he was right. They had always had a bond that was stronger than any friendship, any normal friendship anyway. And they had always called themselves best friends but they felt it was something more than that, they just weren't sure just how much more. She would go to the ends of the earth for him, and knew he would do the same for her. It was the way it had always been for them. They never kept a secret from each other and told each other everything.

"Hey Mar." Said Daryl, wanting Marie's attention.

Marie looked over at Daryl, curious what was on his mind.

"I'm really glad you're here, that you're alive. I don't know what I would do if I found out you didn't make it." Said Daryl.

"Same here Dar." Said Marie.

"You've been the one person who's always stood by my side no matter, no matter what it put us through. There were a couple times I was a real jackass to you and you still stayed right there beside me. And I'm glad you did. Things might've turned out different if you hadn't." Said Daryl.

"You would've been lost without me, I know. And I would've been lost without you. I wasn't afraid of any of the bullshit we went through Daryl, I was more afraid of not having you there. You didn't deserve any of what you were put through. I'm just glad you never gave up and out of it all, you came out strong. I had little to do with that Daryl." Said Marie.

"You had everything to do with it Marie." Said Daryl, stepping closer to her to the point they were almost touching, face to face. "You refused to give up on me, never seemed afraid, and you pushed back whenever someone tried to pull you away from me. You're the one that helped me get through it and come out strong. I drew strength from you."

Marie could feel his breath on her skin as he spoke and it gave her goosebumps. Her heart raced at how close they were standing. She could see a fierce look in his eyes as he talked, a fire that she hadn't seen in a while. It made her feel a bit weak in the knees and sent chills down her spine but she didn't falter as she stared back at him.

"Funny, I always thought it was I who drew my strength from you." She said.

"Well you best think again. You were the only person I had there for me, the only true friend I've ever had. Imagine what it did to me when we got seperated. Think what it would have done to me if I never got to see you again." Said Daryl, choking just slightly on his last words.

"I'll always be here for you Daryl, I won't let anything tear us apart again." Said Marie.

"I hope so, 'cause I can't bear to lose you again." Said Daryl.

Marie braved a new action, something she hadn't dared to do on a daily basis because she knew how Daryl was about his personal space. Slowly, she reached up with her right hand to gently place it on Daryl's left cheek. She saw a flicker of nervousness in his eyes, his left hand coming up to hold onto her arm but not move it, before he relaxed and even lean a bit into her touch. She then felt his right hand touch the left side of her face. She couldn't help but close her eyes at his touch.

Daryl watched Marie's reaction to his touch and he felt his heart flutter a bit at seeing her welcome it, closing her eyes. He followed her, closing his eyes and bravely resting his forehead against hers. It had been a long time since he had allowed something like this to happen between them. The last time he had really needed it then too. Even though it was one of the worse days for both of them, it had also become one of their fondest memories for him at least. And he didn't want this moment to end.

Marie gently placed her free hand on his hip to keep him close. He didn't even flinch at her touch and she relished at that. She knew he needed this at the moment, needed her there with him. It was where she belonged.

It seemed like they had been like that forever even though they knew it was only a few minutes. They wished it could be longer but they knew the others were waiting to eat so they had to end the moment. Marie gave him a quick peck on the cheek like she used to always do. Daryl was caught a bit off-guard.

"We should...should probably take care of this deer so everyone can eat." Said Daryl.

Marie couldn't but smile at him.

"What?" Asked Daryl, seeing the way she was grinning at him.

"Nothing, it's just that you're so cute when you get nervous." Said Marie.

"Stop." Said Daryl, regaining his composure as he reached for the deer.

"What? I'm just stating the truth." Said Marie as she moved to help.

Daryl looked over to softly glare at her.

"Alright, okay, I'll stop." Said Marie in surrender.

Daryl turned back to the task at hand without a word. After a minute, he felt a hand on his arm and looked at Marie to see her looking apologetic.

"I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable Dar." Said Marie.

"You didn't." Said Daryl, giving her one of his small, rare smiles.

Marie couldn't help but return his smile with one of her own.

Together, they then returned to what they had originally come out to do. They worked almost in sync with one another. Even though it was the two of them, they moved almost as though they were one person. They were finished with the deer in no time.

"Wow, this is really good." Said Glenn as everyone sat around the living room eating by the fireplace where Marie had prepared the deer she and Daryl had hunted.

"Thanks. Not to brag or anything but I was taught by the best." Said Marie, smiling over at Daryl.

"I don't know, I think you've done a much better job than Daryl ever has." Said Glenn.

"I'll remember that the next time you want me to go huntin'" said Daryl.

Everyone couldn't but laugh. Marie gazed around at everyone as they laughed. She was already beginning to feel comfortable with these people, part of their group. She looked over at her sister and could see that she was still unsure of what to think about these people. If Daryl trusted them though, she felt that they should as well.

For several hours, they all sat around talking, joking and laughing 'til they all began growing tired.

"Alright guys, we better all turn in for the night, try to get some sleep." Said Rick.

Heads nodded in agreement as some began to stand and head to another room.

"I'll take watch." Said Daryl as he stood, picking up his crossbow.

Marie watched him as he headed to the living room where he could watch out the window for any threat coming toward them from the front of the house. She wondered if anyone would be taking watch from the back.

"I'm gonna go take watch at the back." She heard Glenn tell Maggie.

Well that answered her question quickly. She helped her sister find a place to rest than sat with her until she fell asleep.

"I wonder where Merle is." Said Cassie.

"I don't know, hard telling with that man. He always was a stubborn ass, I just hope he's alright and hasn't done something stupid to get himself killed." Said Marie.

"Yeah, me too. I just think it's odd he's not here with Daryl. I didn't think he'd go anywhere without his brother." Said Cassie.

"Yeah." Said Marie, not having much else to say on the matter. She lay there lost in thought as her sister drifted off to sleep. When she found she couldn't get to sleep, she gave up trying and carefully got up so as to not wake her sister than quietly walked through the house 'til she found Daryl in the front room.

"Figured you'd be asleep by now." Said Daryl without having to turn his attention away from the window he was watching out.

"Couldn't sleep, too much on my mind." Said Marie as she walked over and stood next to him at the window.

"You're wondering about Merle." Said Daryl.

Marie's head snapped to look over at him, caught a bit off guard.

"I could overhear you and your sister talking." Said Daryl.

"Oh. I'm sorry." Said Marie.

"Don't be, I figured you'd ask sooner or later." Said Daryl.

"Just 'cause he could be an asshole doesn't mean I never cared about him." Said Marie.

"I know. Wish you would've been able to tell him that too, he cared about you too, just never knew how to show it." Said Daryl.

Marie caught on to what Daryl was trying to tell her without actually saying it.

"Oh Daryl, I'm so sorry." She said.

"Worst part wasn't finding him dead, it was finding him as one of those things." Said Daryl.

Marie noticed how Daryl's fingertips brushed over his knife briefly.

"Oh Daryl, please tell me you didn't." She said.

By the way Daryl didn't answer and avoided her gaze told her what she was afraid of. She felt bad for him, having to do such a thing to his own brother.

"Dar..." She felt herself choke slightly.

"Don't, please Mar." Said Daryl.

Marie nodded, understanding that he didn't want to delve into the subject of Merle's death so she let it go. She knew that him and Merle weren't exactly close growing up but that was still his brother, his blood.

"So how exactly did you meet all these people? I mean, you weren't exactly the social-able one growing up." Said Marie, changing the subject and throwing a little teasing in.

"Merle and I met a few of them in Atlanta, Rick kind of found us and joined up with us 'cause his wife and kid were with us, we met Maggie when we stayed at her dad's farm, and the rest we just kind of came across along the way." Said Daryl, glad she changed the topic of conversation, ignoring her teasing.

"You've come to have quite the group here. I'm glad you found a group you could trust." Said Marie.

"Wasn't always like that. I was a real ass to them at first, tried to keep my distance but the longer I was with them the more they made me feel like I had a real place among them." Said Daryl.

"Yeah, that certainly sounds like you. You never did trust easily and can't say I blame you for it. Do any of them even know anything about your past?" Said Marie.

"Not in the extent that you do, no. As far as I'm concerned, that part of my life is behind me. These people are my new family now." Said Daryl.

"That's good, I'm happy for you Dar. You deserve to be happy, to live a good life. Well, as much of a good life as you can have these days." Said Marie with a smile.

"I was happy though, but only when you were around. I was glad to have such a good friend to stand by me, but I hated that your friends would ditch you because of me." Said Daryl.

"It was their choice Daryl, not your fault. Besides, you needed someone to be there for you and I figured why not me? I seemed to be the only person willing to do anything I could for you. And I don't regret any of it, none of the choices I made or we made. I hope that you don't either." Said Marie.

"Of course not, why would I? You were the only person who gave a damn about me. I just never wanted to be the one to ruin your life. I felt like I was holding you back." Said Daryl.

"Dar, quit. Why would you say something like that?"asked Marie.

"You could have gone anywhere you wanted Mar, you didn't have to stay. You could've done anything with your life and instead you stuck by a worthless redneck and his asshole of a brother. You could've done better than us Mar, you could've done better than me." Said Daryl, turning away from her.

"Damn it Daryl, stop this!" Said Marie, moving around him to stand in front of him so he was looking at her as she spoke. "I made those decisions because I wanted to, I stayed because I wanted to. I wanted to stay because you guys were the best thing that ever happened to me, YOU were the best thing that ever happened to me. I never wanted better than you two, didn't want better than you. I wanted you guys in my life, I want you in my life Dar. I only want you, no one else is better than you for me, and no one else ever will be."

Daryl was left speechless by what Marie just said to him. He had never been able to understand why somebody like her would want to be friends with someone like him, would even want to be near him. He didn't think he was anyone special, there was nothing great about him. Hell if the world hadn't ended, he'd most likely be hanging out with his brother and getting into trouble.

Marie stepped closer, taking hold of his vest but not gripping, just barely holding it.

"You're a great man Daryl Dixon, no matter what anyone else says or has ever said. And you're special to me." She said before she pressed a brief kiss on his cheek. Then she let the vest slip from her grasp, her hand brushing his chest, as she turned and headed back to the room where her sister lay sleeping. She laid down next to her and soon, she felt herself drift off. 


	2. Chapter 2: Good Afternoon

Chapter 2

The next day, Marie was awakened by the sunlight shining through the cracks in the boards on the windows. She looked next to her and saw her sister was already up. She listened and could hear voices coming from one of the other rooms. She sat up and stretched than got up out of bed and headed to the room the voices where coming from. She found everyone sitting together eating.

"Hey, look who's the last one up." Said Rick with a teasing tone.

"My apologies, and good morning to you too." Said Marie.

"Actually it'd be good afternoon." Said Glenn.

"Afternoon? Why didn't someone wake me?" Asked Marie.

"Well Cassie told us you haven't sleep much in a while and Daryl said you were up late last night so figured we'd let you sleep in a little." Said Rick.

"Ah, I see. Well thank you for letting me sleep in, you didn't have to." Said Marie.

"Can we quit yapping and hurry up and head out before it gets too late?" Said Abraham, the red head from yesterday.

"We still have plenty of daylight left Abraham, we'll cover enough ground before it gets too dark." Said Rick, trying to keep things calm.

Marie noticed something being handed to her. She looked and saw Daryl was handing her plate full of food.

"Saved you some food." Said Daryl.

"Thanks." Said Marie, taking the plate from him, sitting down beside him, and beginning to eat. "So what's his deal anyway?" She asked, pointing over at Abraham.

"No one's really sure. Glenn met him while we were all separated, apparently one of his knows how to make a cure for all this. That's why we're heading to D.C." Said Daryl.

"Seems like a real ass to me. D. C. huh? If there is a cure for whatever this is, that'd be a miracle." Said Marie.

"Be one hell of a miracle." Said Daryl.

"Yeah, it would. If there really is a cure though, that'd be great. Wouldn't have to run all the time, could actually be able to just live our lives without looking over our shoulders at every little noise. 'Course for some, the world was already going to shit even before it actually did. Not much of a difference now." Said Marie, her gaze turning down to her plate but not really looking at it.

Daryl looked over at her, knowing what she was meaning. She wasn't just talking about him.

"Hey." Said Daryl, waiting until she was looking at him before continuing. "Not many people would be able to understand the things we were put through. As you kept telling me, we can't let the bad things hold us down or have an effect on who we are."

Marie couldn't help but smile.

"Out of all the times that I had to repeat that to you, now you heed my advice." She said.

Daryl shrugged his shoulders a little bit.

"Sometimes I guess it takes more than just one amazing person to help someone like me realize that she was right all along." He said.

"I suppose it does, but if that first amazing person was right all along than you should have listened to her from the start." Said Marie, giving Daryl a slight nudge.

"You're right, I should've. There's been quite a few times I wish I had. And there were times she would cross my mind when I could've used more of her advice." Said Daryl.

"Well she's right here next to you now, I'm sure she wouldn't mind giving more advice, especially if she's giving it to her best friend." Said Marie.

"Sure hope she wouldn't, never know when it could be needed." Said Daryl.

Marie couldn't help but simply smile. She loved that she could be here to help Daryl feel more comfortable, could joke with him a little again like they used to, and that she was able to be here if he ever needed her.

"Well, if we're going to D. C. you'll finally get a vacation, since we both know you've never been out of Georgia." She said with a smile.

"Alright everyone, we shouldn't waste anymore daylight. Let's get going." Said Rick.

Daryl stood up than held out a hand to help Marie up. Marie took his hand and he pulled her gently to her feet.

"Such a gentleman." Said Marie with a smile.

Daryl gave Marie a soft glare with a small smile that only she could see.

Everyone gathered their stuff. Marie spotted her sister not too far from her pulling her pack on her shoulders. Marie pulled her own pack over her shoulders, grabbed her rifle than walked over to her sister.

"Hey, how you doing?" She asked.

"Good I guess, just adjusting to being part of a group now after it's been just us for so long." Said Cassie.

"I know, but it's gonna be a good thing to be in a group now for a change, especially since one of them is an all too familiar face we know we can trust." Said Marie.

"I know, it's still hard to really trust these other people when they're complete strangers." Said Cassie.

"I know, it'll take time for everyone to get to know one another but I think we can really trust these people and this is a group we can stay with." Said Marie.

"Well that's good to hear." Said Rick as he walked over.

Marie and Cassie were startled a bit, they hadn't known he was listening or that he was even close by.

"Sorry, couldn't help but overhear a little. I do want you guys to stay with us and be able to trust us. We've run across quite a few people we thought we could trust, but we soon found we really couldn't. It'd be nice to know we found two more that we could, especially since Daryl trusts you, and Daryl has become a brother to me so I really value his opinion." Said Rick.

"Yeah, Daryl told me you guys have gotten pretty close. I'm happy he found someone he could come to trust and be close to the way you guys have become. For the longest time he didn't have any friends other than us. He's always found it hard to trust people. Glad he found someone like you to call brother." Said Marie.

"Thanks. You know, he's talked to me about you once but in private. He's told me a lot about you. You two seem like you've always been really close, closer than he ever will be to any one of us. Seems you went through quite a bit together. That's a bond no one can ever take from you. He cares about you a lot, way more than you think and I'm sure way more than he ever knows himself. I don't want to see him lose you ever, it'd devastate him. He needs you, always will." Said Rick.

Marie wasn't sure what to say to that. She knew that she and Daryl has a really close relationship, but from the way Rick was talking they were closer than either one of them even knew. She wasn't exactly what he was meaning, but she was sure she'd fine out eventually.

Rick smiled at her than walked away to rejoin his son who was also holding his daughter and standing with Michonne.

"Alright everyone, let's get moving. Gotta use as much daylight as we can." Said Rick than he led the way out.

Everyone began following him out. Marie and Cassie walked together, joining up and walking with Daryl.


	3. Chapter 3: Catching Up

Chapter 3

It seemed like they had been walking for days, but it had really only been several hours. The sun was still high in the sky, daylight remaining bright like it normally was. It was not hot but it was still warm. The cold weather was waning as the weather became warmer once again.

Rick led the group as they walked, Carl and Judith not too far behind him with Michonne, Glenn and Maggie. Sash, Tyrese, and Bob were following behind them. Marie, Cassie, Daryl and Carol were next, followed up by Gareth and some of his men from Terminus with Abraham, Eugene, Rosita and Tara bringing up the rear. They were being sure to keep an eye on the Terminus folks, no one seemed to trust them.

"Hey Daryl, what is it with you guys and those guys you said were from Terminus?" Asked Cassie.

"They tried to kill us." Said Daryl.

"What?" Asked Marie, making sure to keep her voice low enough not to draw attention but her tone said how angry she just became.

"There were signs and maps leading into what they called sanctuary. Michonne, Tyrese, Bob and I had heard a message over the radio about it when we went on a run for meds. When we got there, we snuck in so we could see what they were about. They were nice at first but it didn't take long ''til we noticed something was wrong. When we confronted them, they shot at us than locked us in a train car, they eventually tied us and gagged us. They put us on our knees in a row and threatened to kill us until we told about Eugene knowing a way to cure this and that we needed to get him to D.C." Said Daryl.

"And let me guess, they invited themselves along." Said Marie.

"In a manner of speaking, yes." Said Daryl.

"Well I know if they ever lay a hand on you again, I'm personally gonna kill them myself." Said Marie.

Daryl couldn't but smile slightly, giving a grunt-like laugh. It was good to have her there, it made him feel good knowing she was there and had his back no matter what.

Right then, Judith started to fuss. Carl looked at his dad, not entirely sure what to do.

"Alright everyone, let's take a break for a few." Said Rick.

Marie and Cassie set down their packs and Cassie grabbed a bottle of water from her pack. Marie watched as Carl tended to his baby sister. It was such a miraculous and wonderful sight to see.

Everyone else did whatever they needed, took drinks from bottles of water they carried.

Marie felt a nudge on her arm and looked up to see it was Daryl.

"C'mon, let's go do some huntin'." said Daryl.

"Alright." said Marie, taking a quick swig of water than grabbed her rifle and followed after Daryl.

"So how've you and Cassie managed to survive this long?" asked Daryl.

"Is that why you asked me along? To ask me questions?" asked Marie.

"Just curious." said Daryl.

"I was alone at first. Went home first but no one was there. Found Cas at the lake house, was hoping u would be there. After I found Cas, we went looking for you. That time of the year, I knew you'd be out hunting but by the time I got there you were already gone. I knew you were still alive so Cas and I agreed we'd search for you, never stopping 'til we found you." said Marie, pausing for a moment.

Daryl could see there was a look in her eyes and he knew what it was, he'd felt it often enough himself.

"We fought only when we had to, run when we had to, kept to ourselves. People can be more dangerous these days than the dead. And we didn't want to be around anyone else unless we knew they were people we could trust." said Marie.

"You can trust these people, Rick and them. They're good people. They've done right by me since I've been with them." said Daryl.

"I know, if you've been with them this long and you trust them than we can too. I know you don't trust just anyone and the fact you trust this group says a lot. And I trust you, I trust you with my life." said Marie.

Daryl said nothing, just gazed over at her, thinking how someone like her could possibly care for and trust someone like him so much.

"So how've u managed to survive this long? I mean, other than being with this group?" asked Marie.

"Wasn't always easy. I was huntin' when this all went damn like ya said, just knew something was wrong when one tried to attack me and instincts just took over. Merle and I ran together for awhile, surviving however we could. When we ran across a group of survivors, we were actually planning on robbing them of their supplies." said Daryl. He always knew he could be honest with her.

"What changed?" asked Marie.

"After staying with them for a while, we did the hunting so everyone could eat. Seemed we had a place in that group even though no one trusted us. Then Merle went on a run with a few, Rick found them, guess Merle got into with them so Rick handcuffed to a pipe on the roof they were on. They ended up having to leave him 'cause one of 'em dropped the key." said Daryl.

"Damn, Merle was an ass but he didn't deserve that." said Marie.

"I was pissed as hell when Rick told me. He and I and couple others went back for him. Unfortunately, we didn't find him. He cut off his hand and took off. Tried to find him, but never did. We ended up at this prison for a while, made it safe. Then we had a run in with this guy who called himself the Governor, had this place called Woodbury he was running with bunch of people living there." said Daryl.

"Let me guess, you found out Merle was there." said Marie.

"Yeah. When I brought him back to the prison, he wasn't exactly welcomed with open arms. We had a meeting with Governor, he and Rick talked and the Governor all he wanted was Michonne and he'd leave us be. Rick thought about going through with it, but ended up changing his mind. I guess Merle had a different plan. He took Michonne and went to meet with the Governor. At some point he let her go. By the time I'd tracked him down, it was too late. The Governor had killed him and he'd turned." said Daryl.

"And you did what you had to. He died trying to protect you. You couldn't just leave him like that." said Marie.

"It wasn't like him, to do something like that, for anyone." said Daryl.

"Regardless of what he would say or do, you were probably the only person he cared about besides himself. You were his brother and he loved you, that was his one way of showing it." said Marie

"He cared about you too, he never understood why you cared about us though." said Daryl.

"Well, that's 'cause I could see something in the two of you that no one else could." said Marie.

"Oh yeah? And what would that be?" asked Daryl.

"Despite your tough exterior, I could under it and see that you both were good guys." said Marie.

Daryl stopped walking for a moment, watching Marie as she kept walking with a look of bafflement on his face..


	4. Chapter 4: Just Like Old Times

Chapter 4

The days flew by as Marie and Cassie traveled with Daryl and his group. They came across this preacher in trouble and saved him from some Walkers. They stayed at his church for a couple nights, Abraham taking his people along with Glenn, Maggie and Tara to D.C. while the rest waited for Daryl and Carol to return after they disappeared, only Daryl came back without Carol and came back with this new kid name Noah who told them that Beth was in a hospital in Atlanta and that's where Carol was as well. They also lost Bob to the guys from Terminus, and now those guys were dead.

The preacher, Father Gabriel, along with Carl, Cassie, and Michonne stayed behind with Judith while Rick and Daryl led the rest of the group to Atlanta. Marie helped Rick and the others fight their way to the hospital, only it didn't end well. They lost Beth when the officer running the hospital accidentally shot Beth in the head before Daryl shot and killed her.

After they had left the hospital and buried Beth, Marie felt a change in the group. Beth's death hit them all hard, especially Daryl. She could see it in his eyes, in the way he moved and acted, how it began pulling himself away from everyone including her. She hated seeing him like this. She hated not knowing what she could do to help him. She wanted nothing more than to have the power to take away his pain. She knew though that all she could do was just be there.

Now, they were at a place called Alexandria. It was a community filled with people, surrounded by fences. A safe haven. They were all skeptical at first but after settling in for a couple days, Marie felt like they would finally be able to relax and take a breath. Unfortunately though, not everyone agreed. She could tell by the way some of the group was acting, the way they refused to completely let their guard down.

Marie thought they could all live safely in this place but Rick for one didn't trust these people and from what she could tell, he thought they were naive the way they ran this place. They didn't seem to know just how dangerous it was outside the walls and Marie did have to agree on that, but she also saw that their ways had worked so far for them. She was skeptical of a few people though, like Deanna. There was just something about her that Marie didn't like in the slightest.

Right now though, Marie was more concerned with Daryl. He wasn't pulling himself away like he was after Beth died, but he was still keeping her at arms length. He hardly spoke to her even though he would have her accompany him when he would venjour outside the walls. Things felt different between them and she didn't like it. She planned on trying to talk to him about it the next time they went out.

At the moment, Marie was sitting alone on the porch of the house that was now their home. It was night time and darkness had already set. She was enjoying the peacefulness when she heard a voice call her name. She looked around, spotting Daryl not too far in the distance. She stood than waited for him to say something. He motioned for her to join him.

Confused but curious, Marie hurried down the stairs than ventured over to where Daryl stood waiting.

"What's up?" She asked once she stood in front of him.

"Come on, something I wanna show ya." Said Daryl before walking.

Marie said nothing as she followed. She kept close as he led her down the road a ways before stopping at another house and heading into the garage.

Daryl stopped in front of the bike Aaron had shown him earlier, taking hold of the tarp still covering it. He looked back at Marie and watched her stop just a few feet inside the garage, clearly baffled why they were in someone else's garage.

"What's going on Dar?" She asked.

"This is Aaron's house. He kinda asked me to fix this up." Said Daryl.

Marie was still confused but walked closer to her best friend as he lifted the tarp a little, peaking her interest. She wanted to know what was under there. She stopped next to Daryl as she looked to see was under the tarp. Her face lit up.

"What ya think?" asked Daryl, really wanting her opinion.

"It has potential." said Marie honestly.

"Good, 'cause I want you to help me fix it up." said Daryl.

Marie looked back at Daryl, taken by surprise at what he said.

"Look, I know that I'm been a real ass toward you, pushing you away and shutting you out. I was only doing that 'cause...well, 'cause I was afraid of losing you." said Daryl, pauses for a moment. "I guess I thought that if I locked you out, you'd start hating me enough to not give a shit about me anymore and it'd save us the pain if something happened."

Marie was taken back by what Daryl told her. She wasn't exactly surprised, she just never thought he would do it with her.

"Dar, you don't have to be afraid and you don't have to push me away or shut me out. I'm here, and I'm gonna be here as long as I can. I am not gonna leave you, not without a damn good fight. And I could never hate you." She told him.

"You can't guarantee that Mar. It may not happen right now, but some day something bad could happen and I never see you again. I'm tired of losing people. I don't wanna lose anyone else, I don't wanna lose you." said Daryl. He then looked away, looking back down at the bike.

Marie gently placed her hand under Daryl's chin and turned his gaze back up to hers than moved her hands to lay on his chest.

"Now you listen to me Daryl Dixon. Nothing is going to happen to me. I am here to stay and come Hell or high water, I will be staying right here. I belong right here with my best friend, and nothing and no one is gonna change that." She told him.

Daryl found he could only nod. It wasn't that he didn't believe her words or find comfort from them, it was just that he knew one day she would be gone and that terrified him more than anything. He gave her a soft nod anyway, which seemed to satisfy her for now. He then cleared his throat nervously, just realizing how close she was.

"So...uh...you wanna help me with this?" He asked her.

Marie couldn't help but smile as she watched her best friend shift a little uncomfortably.

"Are you kidding? I'd love to." She said.

Daryl pulled the tarp completely off the bike so Marie pulled off her jacket and rolled up her sleeves. And once Daryl got the tarp off the bike, he pulled off his jacket as well. He then grabbed a couple tools, handing one to Marie.

"Just like old times, huh bestie." said Marie, smiling big and bright as she took the tool from Daryl.

Daryl just gave her a grunt of an answer but there was an obvious smirk on his face that only a blind man could miss.

The two of them worked through the late hours of the night, chatting a little here and there as they worked.

"Cas was so pissed when I missed her graduation but even more when I crashed her graduation party with an Elvis impersonator seeing how she hates Elvis. She yelled and screamed at me for 3 hours than didn't speak to me again for a week." said Marie, laughing a little at the memory.

Daryl let out his own chuckle than he turned serious again. There was one thing he'd been wanting to ask her for a while that hasn't had the chance to.

"Why'd you leave?" He finally asked.

Marie froze. It was a question she was dreading and wasn't sure she wanted to answer, but she also knew that Daryl deserved to know the truth. She sighed before standing, wiping her hands off with a dirty rag.

"It wasn't because of you Dar. It was because of my dad." She tossed the rag aside than lifted up the front of her shirt to reveal a long, angry scar across her stomach.

Daryl was immediately on his feet, anger surging through him.

"He found out I was pregnant, he was so furious. He drug me out of bed in the middle of the night, drug me to the middle of the woods and cut the baby out of me. When he took me to the hospital, he told them I did it to myself. Told me if I said anything, he'd tell everyone that you did it.

"Doctor said there was so much damage, I may never be able to have any kids." said Marie, choking on the last sentence. She tried hard to fight back the tears but a few fell anyway.

Daryl surpressed his anger, instead walking over to his best friend and gently lifting her chin, wiping away the tears. This got him a flash of a small smile from her.

"I'll never let that sonofabitch touch you ever again. He's not gonna hurt you anymore or I'll kill him." He told her.

"Hey, you won't find me arguing or stopping you." said Marie.

Daryl gently placed his forehead against hers, both of them closing their eyes, feeling it more important to be there for her than his comfort. They had always been there for each other, her more for him, and he wasn't about to let that change now. He owed her for all the times she was there for him.

Marie wasn't too surprised by what Daryl was doing. She knew he felt she was more important than his comfort level, that he felt he owed her. Although she disagreed, she wasn't about to say anything. Being this close to him like this felt good. Plus it was very rare for him to do this, even with her.

Right then, they suddenly became aware that they were being watched. They looked up to see Aaron standing in the doorway that led from the house into the garage.

"Sorry, didn't mean to interrupt. I was just coming to what all the ruckus was. Guess you decided to work on the bike right away." He said.

"Yeah, showed it to Mar and figured it'd be good to have her help, get it done quicker." Said Daryl.

"Guess you have quite a multitude of talents then." Said Aaron.

"You have no idea." Said Marie with a warm smile.

"Well, since we're all here and awake, how about some breakfast?" asked Aaron.

Marie looked over at Daryl, who was looking at her. He didn't seem to be against the suggestion.

"Sure, just let me go get cleaned up first." She said.

Aaron nodded than headed back inside.

Marie turned to head to their house, but Daryl grabbed her hand and stopped her. She looked back at him and saw that he looked worried. She gave him a soft smile.

"I'm okay Daryl." She said, gently giving his hand a squeeze.

Daryl didn't feel convinced. She still held a sadness in her eyes.

Marie took a step closer to him, wrapping her arms around him. She knew he wouldn't be totally convinced unless she showed him she was alright.

"Really, I'm okay now Dar." She said, holding on to him tight. She could feel him tense up for a minute before he relaxed but that was nothing new.

"I just wanna be here for you like you were there for me." said Daryl, placing an arm loosely around her.

"You don't owe me anything Daryl, I wanted to always be there for you. I just wish I could've taken away your pain." said Marie. She pulled back just enough to be able to look at him.

"You did." said Daryl after a moment.

Marie smiled, her heart almost leaping out of her chest. She knew she'd always been there to comfort him and pull him back up on his feet, but she never truly knew how much good she had done for him 'til now. She was, for once, unsure of what to say.

"I'm gonna go take a shower." She finally manage to say. It was all she could think of to say.

Daryl gave her a quick nod.

Marie turned and started walking away before stopping in the doorway, turning back to Daryl.

"Thank you." She said.

"For what?" asked Daryl, confused.

"For being you. For always being there, for being here now. I know you haven't always been the sociable, dependable type and it's not exactly easy for you to let your guard down the way you do with me, but I'm glad you do. I'm really grateful to have you as my best friend." said Marie.

Daryl was a little unsure of what to say, he never was in these type of situations. It wasn't his area of expertise, he left that to people like her.

"Never knew what you saw in...someone like me, even after all the bullshit but I'm just...I'm glad that it was you. I wouldn't have been able to put up with anyone else." He finally managed to say.

Marie just gave him a warm smile before turning and heading off to shower.


	5. Chapter 5: Not Without You

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p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Marie couldn't remember a time when a hot shower felt so good. It was a time of absolute peace and privacy, the one time a person could be by themselves, alone in their thoughts. Her thoughts, however, kept drifting back towards Daryl./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Ever since they had arrived at this place, heck ever since she'd found him, he barely let her get too far from him, let alone out of his sight. Usually it was her watching over him and keeping him as close as possible. The roles were reversed it seemed now. She used to be the one being protective of him, now he was the one being protective of her. She didn't mind it though, it just showed how much he cared about her, even if he couldn't say just how much./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Marie knew him though. Daryl wasn't the type to protect just anyone, it had to be someone he actually cared about for him to go to these lengths. He wasn't a complicated guy even though he tried hard to be. He was only complicated to those who didn't know him and no one knew him better than she did. They always shared everything, including their secrets. And he was never nor would he be as personable with anyone as he was with her, same went for her. It would never change./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"She had not told Daryl the entire truth about how the scar on her belly came to be, and she wasn't so sure she could. She knew there was a very high probability that if he knew, Daryl would become so enraged that she would be too afraid to stop him from what she knew he would end up doing. She was also afraid she might end up losing him if he knew the whole truth. She knew it was cowardly and wrong to keep it from him, and she should tell him but she just couldn't. Not just yet anyway. Maybe one of the times they were alone, she would tell him. She just prayed that it didn't go how she feared it may./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Marie turned off the water and stepped out of the shower. Grabbing her towel, she dried than got some clean clothes on. Some people would say that she had a sense of style similar to Daryl's, not that she saw a problem with it. She had her own sense of style but most of it was modeled from days she spent with Daryl in the woods learning to track and hunt. She just found it to be more comfortable, which was why she dawned a pair of jeans with a tank top, pulling a flannel shirt on over it and buttoning it up most of the way. Then she pulled on her jacket with her vest over it like Daryl would do a lot of the time. Satisfied, she headed out./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"As she walked out of the bathroom, Marie almost ran into Daryl./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Oh, hey. Decide to come clean yourself up as well?" Asked Marie./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Maybe. Or I came to see what was taking you so long." Said Daryl./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Sorry, got to thinking." Marie apologized./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""About what?" Asked Daryl curiously./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Marie threw her towel at him, hitting him in the face./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""I'll tell you later." She teased, trying to hide the seriousness in her voice. She started to walk away./p  
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p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Marie stopped and turned back to her confidant./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Wait for me." Requested Daryl./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Marie could not help but smile./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Of course." She said like he should've already known she would./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Daryl nodded at the one woman whom he felt he could be intimate with, and not in the conventional sense, before disappearing into the bathroom./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Marie, I have to say that I am amazed at how protective Daryl seems to be over you. I mean, since you all have been here I've noticed he never lets you out of his sight for too long or let you stray too far." Said Aaron./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""That's just way things have been since we were kids, we've always looked out for each other." Marie told him./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""That must be quite a bond the two of you have. He doesn't seem to have it with any of the others." Said Aaron./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Well, that's 'cause none of the others have known him as long as I have, or been through some of the things that we have. Hell, I lost friends because I wouldn't turn my back on him, friends that tried to make me choose between him and them but I would choose him every time, I always will." Marie told him, looking over at Daryl as she said it, placing her hand on top of his gently./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Daryl held her gaze, knowing the kinds of things running through her mind right now. He didn't move as she placed her hand on top of his. Normally, this type of thing made him very uncomfortable but at the moment it didn't matter, not with her anyway./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"After a while though, the silence stretched and started to become slightly uncomfortable./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Oh, did Daryl tell you that he now has a job?" Asked Aaron, breaking the quiet./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""No, he didn't yet." Said Marie, her gaze turning to him./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Yeah, I asked him to be our other recruiter, help bring in more survivors since he can tell the good from the bad." Said Aaron./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Yeah, he's always been good at that." said Marie./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Thing is, he only accepted on one condition." Aaron told her./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""And what would that be?" Asked Marie, curious./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Aaron looked over at Daryl, which made Marie look at him as well./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""I'm not going out there without you there to watch my back. That's the way it's been, that's the way it'll always be." Stated Daryl./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Marie couldn't help but smile./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""So how about it Marie? I'd hate to see you two split up or drift apart just because you're in a new place." Aaron told her./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""The hell if I'm gonna tell my best friend no. Like I'm really gonna let him have all the fun without me." Said Marie with a smile on her face./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Aaron couldn't help but smile as well./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Great! I'll let Deanna know when I see her." He told them./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""So you wanna take the bike out and see how she runs?" Daryl asked Marie./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Oh, hell yeah." Said Marie. She had wanted to take that bike out as soon as they were finished, but she also didn't want to be rude after Aaron offered to make them breakfast./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"The two of them got up, Daryl heading out to the garage to get the bike while Marie went to grab her gun and his crossbow./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Meet ya at the gate!" Daryl called after her./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Copy that!" Marie called back to him over her shoulder./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Daryl couldn't help the small smirk that crossed him face. He loved the way they were able to talk to each other. It was very rare that they ever had an argument over anything, and even if they did it never lasted long nor could they stay mad each other for long. The bond they shared was too strong./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Marie grabbed her rifle and handgun than grabbed Daryl's crossbow, making sure it had plenty of arrows. She grabbed extra ammo for herself before heading to meet Daryl. She found him right where he said he'd be, at the gate with the bike waiting for her./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Daryl watched Marie as she approached, her rifle over her shoulder and his crossbow in hand. The smile on her face reached her eyes as she walked toward him. He still didn't understand what made her want to be his friend, why she was so happy whenever she saw him. Why she seemed so happy as she looked at him now./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Not that he didn't enjoy the way that she looked at him, he always felt his heart jump whenever he saw her look at him like that. He had never had anyone look at him or see him the way she did, make him feel as wanted and needed as she did. Or the simple joy he felt whenever she spoke to him or just simply laughed around him and seemed so happy being near him./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"As Marie stopped in front of Daryl, she handed him his crossbow./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""She ready to go?" She asked him./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Yea, just waiting for you." Said Daryl./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Let's go then, no need to wait anymore." Marie told him./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""I see that." Said Daryl, swinging a leg over the bike, putting up the kickstand, and starting the bike./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Marie couldn't help getting excited as she listened to the bike roar to life and a squeal escaped her./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Daryl looked over at her, his heart swelling at seeing her joy at the machine he was sitting on that they had worked on and fixed together, at seeing the way she bounced in place while trying to contain the excitement that she felt./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Come on, ain't got all day Sunshine." He said to her but with a hint of humor./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Marie playfully glared at him. She then watched as he held out his hand to help her onto the bike behind him. She took it, swinging one of her legs over the bike and settling behind Daryl./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""You know how much I hated it when you guys called me that." She was referring to the nickname that Daryl and Merle had given her when they were kids./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Can't help it that it always suited you." Daryl told her before revving the bike and moving off as the gate was opened for them./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Marie was taken by surprise for a moment, being jolted back slightly. She smacked Daryl playfully knowing he did it on purpose before she wrapped her arms around his waist and pressing herself against his back, a smile still splayed over her lips as they rode away from Alexandria./p 


	6. Chapter 6: Like We Used to Do

Daryl and Marie rode for what felt like hours. It had been some time since they had done this, something like they used to do together almost everyday.

Marie used to be terrified to get on the back of a motorcycle, but Daryl had managed to talk her into riding with him with the promise he wouldn't let her get hurt and he had kept that promise. All the times that she had rode on the back with him, she had never gotten hurt. He made her feel so safe, no matter how fast he went.

Daryl loved the feeling of Marie being pressed flushed against him as he drove, her arms gently wrapped around him but not tightly. It showed her trust in him plus the fact it was just the two of them out here alone, nowhere to go in mind and forgetting all the wrong in this world. He missed spending time alone with her. It seemed like it had been too long since they had last did something like this alone together, and in truth it had been some years.

Daryl was glad he finally knew the reason why she had left Georgia several years ago. He had always believed that he had done something wrong to upset her so bad that she left him, or that her father had shipped her off to boarding school like he'd threatened to do so many times. Now that he knew the reason, he felt relieved, but he also felt anger and sadness as well. Anger at her father for what he had done to her, the sadness for not being there for her and protecting her.

Marie could feel Daryl tensing as he drove and she had a pretty good feeling why. She tapped him on the shoulder, signalling him to stop. She waited as he slowed until the bike stopped before she climbed off and stood in front of him so she could see him face. And what she saw made her heart ache. In his eyes she saw sadness and regret as well as a little anger.

"Daryl? What's wrong?" She asked him.

"Nuthin'." Daryl tried to lie.

"Daryl, you're a bad liar. You forget that I know you too well, well enough to know when something is wrong. Come on, please talk to me. It's just the two of us out here after all." Marie coaxed.

Daryl sighed. He didn't really want to tell her what was on his mind, knowing it would only add to her own guilt, but he also didn't want to hide from her.

"I should've been there, should've been able to protect you. He should never have been able to do that shit to you. Someone should've stopped him, I should've been there to stop him. You could've died and I did nothing." Said Daryl, starring down at the ground.

"Dar, look at me." He slowly raised his eyes until they met hers. "What happened to me is NOT your fault. There was nothing you could've done." Said Marie. She hated seeing him like this.

Daryl looked back down, unconvinced.

Marie sat sideways on the bike in front of him, taking his hands and making him look at her again.

"Stop, please. You know it kills me when you blame yourself for things that happened to me that neither of us had any control over. Neither of us could have known what he was going to do so please, stop doing this to yourself. I'm alive and I'm here, right here in front of you. And I will NEVER leave you again." She told him, her voice firm.

Daryl finally nodded, the look of guilt leaving his eyes. He gave her a small smile, which she returned.

Marie laid her head on Daryl's shoulder, relaxing against him and she felt him wrap an arm around her shoulders to keep her from falling.

Some people might think they were a couple from the way they behaved toward each other, but they weren't nor had they ever been. It wasn't that they didn't feel affection for each other, they did but they also didn't want to risk their friendship.

Thing was that Marie had no idea of Daryl's true feelings for her and Daryl has no idea of Marie's true feelings for him. They had never had the guts to admit them, too scared that the other didn't share the same feelings.

The two of them seemed content, however, with just the bond that they had now. Although it hurt to keep those feelings hidden, neither was brave enough to risk losing what they already had. And it sure didn't seem like things would be changing anytime soon.

The sound of leaves rustling got their attention, both of them standing with their weapons ready but they found it was only a couple squirrels scampering along the ground as they chased each other before running up a tree.

Marie and Daryl both lowered their weapons, looking at each other with a sign of relief. Marie couldn't help the small laugh that escaped, which made Daryl laugh as well. They normally weren't jumpy but they also knew in this world now, it couldn't be helped. With all the threats out there nowadays, you had to be on constant guard.

Once things became calm again, Marie shouldered her rifle again that began walking into the woods.

"Where ya think you're going?" Wondered Daryl.

"For a walk in the woods. Care to join me Mr. Dixon?" Asked Marie, with a smile before continuing walking.

Daryl sighed before following after her. He wasn't about to let her go anywhere by herself.

"Might as well tag along, someone has to keep an eye on your ass." He said as he caught up with her and walked beside her.

"Oh, ha-ha, not funny Dixon. I am very capable of looking after myself, thank you." Said Marie, giving him a playful shove.

"Only thanks to me teaching you how. If I hadn't you wouldn't be worth shit." Said Daryl.

"True, I'll give you that. 'Course if not for me protecting your ass, you wouldn't be either." Said Marie. She loved their playful banter.

"Maybe." Said Daryl, toying with her some more, which earned him another playful shove.

"Keep it up." Marie told him through the smile on her face.

"Or what exactly?" Asked Daryl, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Hey, I could take your ass." Said Marie.

"Psst." Daryl scoffed with a small laugh.

"I could!" Marie insisted.

"Yea, keep telling yourself that Simms." Daryl told her.

Marie just smiled. She knew in reality that she could never beat Daryl in a fight nor did she ever want to be in that situation either, not that he would ever put a hand on her like that. He just wasn't like that. He was gentlest man she had ever met, especially when it came to her.

Right now, being out in the woods felt like the old days, minus the threat of Walkers roaming around. Marie figured if they were gonna be sitting out in the woods, they may as well do some hunting. Daryl had taught her well after all.

"Keep an eye out for rabbits." Said Daryl.

Marie looked at him, slightly confused.

"I told Aaron I'd get him some rabbits." Daryl told her.

"Ah, gotcha." Said Marie, giving him a thumbs up.

The two scanned the woods as they walked, looking for any signs of wildlife whether it be a deer, rabbits or even some squirrels.

All of a sudden, Marie stopped in her tracks. Daryl peered around her to see why. There was a fair sized rattle snake in front of her, looking right at her and ready to strike. Daryl moved around her very slowly as he took aim at its head.

"Daryl..." Marie breathed, a slight nervousness in her voice.

"Ssh, just stay still." Daryl told her in a hushed tone.

Marie knew Daryl wouldn't let anything happen to her, but she still felt herself tremble.

Daryl got the snake in his sight and he knew he had to aim right or it would end up attacking Marie. Once he had a shot, he took it. His arrow hit its mark, sinking into the snake's neck.

Marie breathed a sigh of relief. It was only a few minutes, but it had felt like hours to her. She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up into Daryl's concerned expression.

"You alright?" He asked her.

"Yeah, I'm good. Thanks." She answered.

"Told ya ya need someone to look out for your ass." Said Daryl.

"Screw you Dixon." Said Marie, glaring softly at him.

"Well, 'least we found lunch." Said Daryl.

"I am not eating that." Marie stated.

"Suit yourself then, takes like chicken." Said Daryl as he walked over and picked up the snake, pulling his arrow out.

"I'd rather have chicken." Said Marie. She started gathering twigs for a fire while Daryl skinned the snake.

The two sat by a small fire, Marie watching as Daryl cooked his snake. Once it was done, he began to eat it.

"Gross." Said Marie, her face showing her disgust.

"I'm telling ya, don't know what you're missing." Said Daryl. He tried offering her some again.

"Nah, I'll still pass thank you." Said Marie, pushing it away.

"Never did know what was good for ya." Said Daryl.

"Screw you twice Dixon." Said Marie.

"Psst, you were around Merle too much, he wore off on ya." Said Daryl.

"Guess he did. I do kinda miss him. He could be pretty funny when he wanted." Said Marie.

The atmosphere around them became silent and somber. Merle wasn't always the greatest person to be around, but like anyone he had his moments.

Breaking the silence, Daryl tried offering Marie a piece of snake once more.

"Last chance." He told her.

"You're not gonna leave it be 'til I try it are you?" Asked Marie.

"Think you know the answer to that." Daryl told her.

"Yeah, I do." Said Marie as she took the piece that he was offering. She put it in her mouth and chewed as Daryl watched for her reaction. To her surprise, it was actually good. It tasted a bit like chicken like Daryl said. "Okay, okay, you were right. It is pretty good." She surrendered.

Daryl smiled confidently, rather proud of himself. It went the same when he got her to try deer, rabbit and squirrel.

"Don't get cocky there Mr. Dixon, I know what's running through that head of yours." Marie scolded firmly.

"I just don't get why you can't just take me at my word the first time rather than fighting with me than end up giving in anyway." Said Daryl.

"'Cause its fun my dear Daryl. A girl has to have some fun when she's with her redneck of a best friend." Said Marie with a smile. She was the only one he let get away with calling him that.

"Yea, whatever." Said Daryl.

Marie smiled once more at him. He had always known how best to make her smile. That's what she loved about him, he always made her felt happy just by being around him and he didn't have to try to make her smile.

Laying back on to the leaves around them, Marie starred up at the trees and sky above. It felt so peaceful, felt like they could forget about all the fear and pain in this world even if that was not true.

Leaves rustled and Marie watched out of the corner of her eye as Daryl laid down next to her, an arm behind his head and mimicking her. She turned her head to look over at him and her heart skipped a beat at the expression on his face, one that said he felt as at peace as she did right now.

Daryl must have felt her staring at him as he turned his head to look at her, but saying nothing. They just stared at each other for quite a few minutes before either spoke.

"Feels just like we used to do. Wish it could be like this all the time." Marie told him.

"Me too." Said Daryl.

Marie smiled, reaching over and taking Daryl's hand in hers. She felt his fingers tangle with hers. They fell into silence, just enjoying the peace while it lasted.


	7. Chapter 7: Whole Truths

"It's getting late, should start heading back." Said Daryl.

"Ah, do we have to?" Groaned Marie. She was enjoying the time they'd been spending out here.

"If you want them sending a search party for us, no." Said Daryl.

"Fine, fine. Let's go. I certainly don't wanna make Cass worry." Said Marie. She picked up her rifle as she stood up while Daryl was putting out the fire.

They were heading back toward the bike when they heard a twig snap. They both quickly turned in with their weapons aimed and ready. They waited patiently but anxious before a man stepped out.

Marie slowly lowered her rifle as she recognized him.

"Kyle?!" She was surprised to see him.

"Marie, you're alive!" He exclaimed, taking a few steps toward her.

Marie stepped away from him, moving closer to Daryl. Out of the corner of her eye she saw him look at her confused while Kyle stopped.

"I've been looking for you everywhere." Said Kyle.

"Yeah, I'm sure you have." Said Marie sarcastically with venom.

"I have! I've been so worried, thought you might be dead!." Said Kyle.

"She can take care of herself ya know." Said Daryl.

"Yeah, yeah I can see that." Said Kyle, an edge to his tone.

Daryl went to move toward him but Marie's hand on his shoulder stopped him so he just glared.

"You guys have a camp or something don't you? Take me back with you." Begged Kyle.

"No way." Said Daryl sternly.

Marie pulled Daryl over to the side so they could talk privately.

"He's not coming back with us. I don't trust him and you obviously don't either." Said Daryl.

"You're right, I don't but I also don't trust him not to follow us back regardless. It's better to take him with us than decide what to do with him from there. No one will trust him anyway." Said Marie.

Daryl thought for a minute.

"Besides, I don't like signing anyone's death warrant." Added Marie.

Daryl did see it from her side. He also knew sometimes you had no choice and he also didn't want her to feel bad because they left him behind.

"I don't what happened between you two, but I will find out." He told her.

"I promise I'll tell you, just not now and not here, please." Said Marie. She knew she had to sooner or later.

Daryl simply nodded, but it was clear that he was upset.

The two of them walked back over to where Kyle still stood.

"Alright, you can come back but I can't guarantee that you'll stay, it's not our call to make. And I hope you have a car or something or else you're walking." Said Marie.

"I do, just up the road a bit." Said Kyle, pointing toward the road behind them.

"Well hurry and get it, we can't wait long." Said Marie as she and Daryl began the walk back to his bike. They heard Kyle take off running off in the direction he had pointed.

When they reached the motorcycle, Marie sat sideways on it while Daryl stood in front of her. She knew the look he was giving her and when she looked up at him, she was proven right; Daryl was looking at her expectantly, waiting.

"Dar, please, let it wait til we get back. Not out here in the open." Said Marie.

"Why, so you can hide from me as soon as we get back?" Asked Daryl.

"What?! No! I promised I would tell you the truth and you know when I make a promise I keep it, especially with you." Said Marie, a little taken aback by his behavior.

"I think this world has proven enough times that things change, people change." Said Daryl.

"Daryl, please, don't be like this." Marie pleaded, her throat suddenly feeling tight. This was the beginning of what she had been afraid of.

"Like what? How am I being Marie? What, that my best friend would rather disappear without a damn word to me, even though she supposedly cared so much about me? I don't see you for six years, not so much as a phone call or letter, than you find me and act like everything's peachy? Well it ain't!" Yelled Daryl. The anger he had been holding in for those years after she had just up and left without even saying goodbye to him was bubbling to the surface.

"I'm sorry, please don't do this Dar." Said Marie, the tears threatening to break free.

"I'm not the one doing anything here Mar, you did this." Said Daryl sternly.

"I didn't know what else to do!" Marie found herself shouting. "I didn't... I was scared. Kyle, he's the one that got me pregnant. Dad found out, Kyle freaked out. Lied to him, told dad that it was yours, that he'd caught us together."

Daryl found himself unable to speak. He had imagined a lot of things, but not this.

"After, I was too afraid of what my dad would do if I told you what he did. All I could think about was you, protecting you as I always have. I left because of _you_ , for _you_ , to protect _you_. I always meant to call you, but I was afraid you hated me and never got up the nerve. And I did write to you, you just never got them because my dad intercepted them. They're in my bag if you wanna read them." Said Marie as calmly as she could manage, still fighting back the tears.

Daryl was still unable to find his voice. He felt his anger had all but gone, now replaced with regret and pain for his friend for what she had gone through and what he was putting her through right now.

"I know that I hurt you Daryl, I know that I abandoned you but I was so unsure of what I should do after what that bastard did. I wanted to tell you the truth every time I saw you, every time you asked but I didn't know what else my dad could be capable of, what he was capable of doing to you after what he did to me." Marie paused to catch her breath.

Daryl continued to watch her, knowing she wasn't done.

"I did what I thought was best and I've regretted it everyday since. God knows what happened to you after I left, and I am so sorry for what I've done. I wish that I could take it back."  
Said Marie, unable to think of anything else to say. She looked down away from Daryl, at the ground. She heard footsteps approach her cautiously than watched Daryl's boots stop in front of her. Then she felt his fingers gently lift her chin so her eyes connected with his again.

"I was an ass, I'm sorry." Said Daryl.

"Don't be, you didn't know." Marie told him.

"Still, I had no right to yell at you like that, treat you like that, after all you've done for me." Said Daryl.

"Forget it, it's okay." Said Marie.

"No, it's not. I had no right to yell at you like that. Hell, there were plenty of times you could've yelled at me, and probably should've, but you didn't. You deserve to be treated better, better than me." Said Daryl.

"Dar, we've been through this already. Besides, you're the one who deserves better after all you've been through." Said Marie.

Daryl looked away quickly for a moment, his gaze focusing toward the ground, than he looked back at her. He knew Marie was right but he also felt he was right, that she deserved better than a man like him.

Before he could argue any further, a car pulled up behind them with Kyle in the driver seat.

"Should get back before it gets dark." Said Marie, standing to allow Daryl to get on the bike first.

Daryl nodded, throwing his leg over and sitting. He felt Marie climb on behind him as he started the bike's engine, but she left a little space between them and gingerly placed her hands on his waist. This isn't how he wanted things to be.

Marie left a small amount of space between her and Daryl, unsure on if she should hold onto him like she usually would but deciding it better to give him a little space so she just laid her hands on his waist.

Daryl started moving, picking up speed than at the right moment he hit the brakes hard enough to make Marie collide with his back, closing the empty space between them than slowly pushed on the gas again.

Marie held onto Daryl's shoulders after what he just did, looking at him confused. She watched him glance back at her and the way he was looking at her told her what she needed to know. She smiled than put her arms around him, holding him just tight enough that she was pressed against his back.

Nothing else was needed, no words needed to be said. It was all there as they rode back toward Alexandria.


	8. Chapter 8: Across the Great Divide

When they got back to Alexandria, Marie left talking to Rick and Deanna to Daryl. She knew that Daryl wouldn't sugar coat anything and that Kyle would be seen how she knew him before the world was turned upside down. She didn't know if she had it in her to tell them the whole truth, she didn't want anyone else to see her scar. She hated showing Daryl, but only because of his reaction to it and how she got it.

She went into the house right next to Rick and the others. She, Cassie, and Daryl were staying there together. She had wanted her privacy after the first couple nights, Cassie wanted to stay with her and Daryl didn't want to be away from her. Cassie took one bedroom to herself while Marie and Daryl shared the other (wouldn't be the first time, they shared on hunting trips he would take her on and any time he'd stay over when he father wasn't home due to his job).

As Marie entered the house, she leaned against the door a moment after closing it. She was still reeling from seeing Kyle again after all this time. After the whole world went to Hell on a silver platter, she figured him for dead or at the very least she'd never see him again. Now, she felt how wrong she had been.

Sighing, Marie headed upstairs to the room she and Daryl shared. She knelt next to the bed, pulling a scrapbook out from underneath. She sat down on the bed and began flipping through it. She couldn't help but smile at some of the memories that looked back at her. She lingered on each page for several minutes, staring and reminiscing. She couldn't help wishing that she could turn back time and change a few things.

Right then, she heard footsteps walk up the stairs and stop in the doorway. She didn't have to look up to know who it was.

"That didn't take long." She said.

"Yeah, well, Kyle sweet talked his way into staying." Said Daryl.

Marie couldn't help but feel her heart drop a little.

"And here I was hoping they'd kick him back out on his ass." She told him.

"Me too. Probably would've helped if you'd been there too." Said Daryl.

Marie looked up at her best friend, seeing him leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed over his chest, hands tucked under his arms.

"I know, I just...I don't know if I can show anyone else. I especially don't want Cass to find out." She admitted.

"She don't know?" Asked Daryl.

Marie shook her head.

"We'll do what we have to then. He'll screw up eventually." Said Daryl.

Marie knew Daryl would understand, he always seemed to with her just as she did with him. That's what made them such good friends. She turned back to the photos with a new smile.

"The hell you up here grinning at anyway?" Asked Daryl.

Marie looked back up at him without losing the smile. She scooted over and watched as he took the hint, walking over to sit next to her. She moved the scrapbook so that part of it was in his lap as well as hers.

"You made this?" Asked Daryl as he looked at the book in front of him, pictures of him and Marie when they were younger staring up at him.

"Yeah, Mom helped. We worked on it after every summer up until..." Marie felt her voice trail off, she couldn't finish her sentence.

"Guessing your mom took all these." Said Daryl, trying to ease the look of guilt Marie was holding.

"Yeah, told me that she wanted to capture as many good memories for us as she could 'cause we might not get many more after we got out on our own." Said Marie.

"Well, only good memories I have are with you so I'm glad that she did this." Said Daryl.

"Me too. She was always fond of you, she loved you." Marie paused. "You have no idea how many times I wanted to come home, to come back for you."

"Why didn't you? I waited for you every day." Said Daryl.

"I don't know, every time I started to I chickened out. Every time I tried to call, I hung up 'cause I was afraid it wouldn't be you who answered but your dad or Merle, and you know how he'd get when we'd fight." Marie told him honestly.

"I could've handled it." Said Daryl.

"I know but you shouldn't have to. I'm the one who ran off. You meant the most to me and I let you down." Marie added with sadness in her voice, looking down at her hands.

"You never let me down." Said Daryl softly.

Marie looked back up at him, surprised.

"Even when you weren't there, you were still there. I still listened to you no matter how Merle pushed me. You were the first thing on my mind and the last. You even haunted my dreams. And I could see you whenever I wanted." Daryl told her.

Marie stared at him questioningly.

Daryl reached in the inside pocket of his vest and pulled out a picture, handing it over.

Marie looked at the photo that Daryl handed her. It was a picture of her and Daryl at her family's lake house. Daryl was laying on the dock with no shirt on, just his shorts while Marie stood by the water edge by the dock wearing a green tank and shorts as she rinsed her sandals off in the water and she could see Daryl was watching her as he lay on the dock.

As she gazed at the photo, Marie couldn't help when she felt tears well up in her eyes. She remembered this day fairly well. It was before he got the scars on his back, but it was also the first time they got to spend an entire weekend at that lake house, just the two of them. It had meant so much to her, and she knew it meant a lot to Daryl too but she had no idea just how much until now.

A single tear escaped her eye, but it was quickly caught and wiped away by Daryl. She could feel his slightly calloused, rough hands gently brush it away. He never did like to see her cry, unless they were happy tears.

Marie turned a few pages of the scrapbook until she came to the page she was looking for. There were two pages of more photos from that same day.

"Mom took a bunch of these before she left to give us the place to ourselves. She said she took so many 'cause she'd never seen us look so happy and she wanted to make sure she'd be able to remember. I think she actually wanted to make sure we did." Marie told her best friend.

"Your mom was the only one who didn't seem to mind you being around me. Everyone else said I was no good to be near you." Said Daryl.

"Well I didn't give a shit what anyone else thought, you were a better friend than any friend I ever had. I wouldn't change anything we ever did." Marie said firmly.

"Obviously." Said Daryl, a touch of sarcasm in his tone.

Marie gave him a light smack but she was smiling too. He always did know just the best ways to make her smile. Then she laid back, her head laying on his shoulder and curled up against his side, placing a hand on his chest. She felt his arm placed around her, his hand on her arm. He would never do this with anyone else.

At some point, the two of them fell asleep while still gazing at the photos in the scrapbook. They didn't realize they were even tired.


	9. Chapter 9: If I Could Turn Back Time

_The air was fresh and clean, birds chirping happily through the trees, and there was a light breeze blowing. Two young girls were playing in their front yard, their parents sitting on the front porch watching them, smiles present on their faces as they watched their two little girls._

 _To anyone who didn't know them, they seemed like the picture perfect family. Dad had a great job which also allowed him to travel when it was necessary, mom worked while her girls were in school than she was off in time to pick them up, having dinner on the table in time for their father to come home._

 _Just then, a young boy was walking by with an older boy. The older girl smiled at the young boy and waved. The girl got up and ran over to the boy, happy to see him._

 _"Hey Daryl, hi Merle." She said._

 _"Hey Marie." Said the little boy Daryl._

 _"Hey there Sunshine, staying out of trouble I hope." Said older boy Merle._

 _"Always!" Said Marie delightfully._

 _"Good, make sure you keep it that way. I would hate to have to pull the big brother card on you little lady." Said Merle._

 _"I know Merle, don't worry." Said Marie. She turned to Daryl. "So whatcha up to?"_

 _"Oh Merle had some things to do so I tagged along." Said Daryl._

 _"Psst, only 'cause you wanted to see your little girlfriend." Said Merle._

 _"Shut up Merle!" Growled Daryl. He hated when Merle teased him, especially in front of Marie._

 _"Hey Marie! Why don't you ask Daryl if he wants to stay for a little while!" Yelled her mom from the porch._

 _Marie looked at Daryl, silently asking the question._

 _Daryl looked kind of nervous, only because it seemed like her father didn't like him much but tolerated him because of Marie._

 _"He'd love to stay and hang out with ya." Merle answered for him._

 _Marie was beaming, she loved it when Daryl came over. She grabbed his hand and started leading him toward the house._

 _"You're welcome to stay too Merle!" Yelled Marie's mom._

 _"Thank you Ma'am, but I have a few things to do! I'll be back later to get Daryl!" Merle yelled back._

 _"Okay, well if you change your mind, dinner is at six!" Yelled her mom._

 _"Thanks! I'll see ya later little brother." Said Merle, waving before heading on his way._

 **2** **Years Later**

 _Marie was riding her bike with some of the other neighborhood kids. Daryl didn't have one so she shared hers, the two of them taking turns. Luckily it wasn't a girly bike, she had gotten it from her cousin, Jason. She didn't care, she hated girly things anyway. Plus, she always shared her things with Daryl so the less girly the better._

 _Deciding it was Daryl's turn again, Marie stopped next to him and climbed off, handing over her bike._

 _Just as Daryl climbed on, they heard sirens roaring down the street, watching as several firetrucks hurried down the road passed them. All the kids followed on their bikes._

 _"Come on." Said Daryl._

 _Marie had pegs in the back wheels of her bike for either her or Daryl to stand on so at Daryl's urging, she stepped up on them and he followed after the other kids in the direction the firetrucks went._

 _It took a little while, but Daryl finally caught up to the trucks. When they approached the other kids, they saw them all staring in their direction as flames tore through a house, the firemen battling to put them out. Then when they were right in front, Marie could feel her heart sink._

 _It was Daryl's house that was on fire, that the firemen were racing to and battling to extinguish._

 _Marie climbed off the bike with Daryl and he let it slip through his hands, letting it fall to the ground and neither cared enough at that moment to bother picking it up. All she could do was stand next to her friend as they watched his house burning. And they didn't know if anyone was inside._

 _Right then, Marie caught more movement out if the corner of her eye and looked to see Merle with their dad, Will but she didn't see their mom. Realization hit her hard._

 _"Daryl..." She began in barely a whisper._

 _Daryl looked over at Marie than in the direction her eyes were staring. He saw his dad and brother, but his mom was nowhere in sight. That could only mean one thing. His mom was inside their burning house. He started forward, but someone grabbed his arm and stopped him._

 _"Daryl, no! There's nothing you can do." Said Marie, holding onto his arm to keep him safe, to keep him from doing something they both knew would only be in vain._

 _Daryl stayed where he was, didn't try to break away from Marie's hold on him. She was right after all. He just stood there, his legs suddenly feeling like lead. He felt Marie's hands move from his arms to wrap him in a hug, but he didn't move. He felt like he couldn't. He was frozen. He just let his friend comfort his the best she could._

 _"I'm so sorry." She told him. She felt so bad for her friend. She wished she could change what happened, but it was too late._

 _Later, Daryl sat with Marie at her house. He was staying with her for the night, didn't really have anywhere else to go and in light of what happened, Marie's father was willingly letting him stay, feeling it to be best he was around her as he coped with losing his mom. She just had a way of calming him that no one else had. Everyone saw it, knew it._

 _Marie was surprised that her father was actually allowing Daryl to stay through the night, but she felt that right now he shouldn't be anywhere else let alone be anywhere his father and brother were._

 _Right now, they were sitting on the floor in her room, listening to her radio but not really listening to it. She had her head resting on his shoulder, letting him know she was there while he stared at the floor, not really even seeing it. She knew he was hurting and wished there was something she could do for him but there wasn't._

 _"Marie honey, dinner's ready!" Her mom called up._

 _Marie sighed, not wanting to leave Daryl's side._

 _"Be right down!" She called back. She looked over at Daryl, he hadn't budged an inch. "You coming?"_

 _"Not hungry." Said Daryl softly._

 _Marie could only nod. She was concerned, but she also understood that he was in pain._

 _"I'll be back up in a little while." She told him, only getting a faint nod in return. Reluctantly, she headed down to eat with her family._

 _"Daryl not coming down to eat?" Asked her mother._

 _"No, says he's not hungry." Said Marie, looking at her mom sadly, taking her seat next to Cassie._

 _"I'll save him a plate anyway in case he changes his mind. Poor thing, can't imagine how he's feeling right now." Said Mrs. Simms._

 _"Well don't fuss over him Arlene, you'll only make it worse. That boy's tough, he'll pull through just fine, especially with Marie looking after him." Said Mr. Simms._

 _"I hope so John." Said Arlene._

 _Not another word was said as they all ate their meal. As soon as she finished, Marie did her chores quickly than headed back up to her room. She found Daryl laying on the cot her parents had set up for him, his back to her so she couldn't tell if he was asleep or not. So she wouldn't disturb him, she read one of her books for a little while until it was time for bed._

 _As she was about to climb into her bed, Marie cast one last look at Daryl but he hadn't moved. She turned off the light than got under her covers. She had only been laying there for a few minutes when she felt weight on the mattress. Knowing it was Daryl, she moved over enough to make room as he slid under the covers and laid down beside her, facing her. She took his hand in hers and held it as they drifted off to sleep._


	10. Chapter 10: For All of Us

As with all things that start out good, something bad almost always happens. Daryl, Marie and Aaron had some trouble on their first run together, but they made it back also bringing back with them a man named Morgan who turns out knew Rick. However, when they got back there was chaos and they witnessed Rick shoot and kill a man named Pete who was the community doctor and husband of Jessie, the woman who cut Rick's hair.

That wasn't the only bad thing. Rick and Morgan found a quarry full of Walkers that were going to break out any time. It was blocked only by a few semi trucks and there were at least a thousand Walkers in it, all herded together. Good thing was Rick already had come up with a plan: they would lead the Walkers away from Alexandria, taking them at least 20 miles away should they do this right.

Marie stood leaning against the wall next to Daryl who sat on the window sill. They were all gathered in Deanna's house, listening as Rick told them all of what he had found and of his plan was to deal with this problem. Only thing that made her nervous was that Rick just said that Daryl was going to be the one to lead them away on his bike.

"I'm riding with him." She spoke up to Rick the moment she got the chance, making sure to be just stern enough in her tone. "No way am I letting him do this without me being there to watch his back."

Rick nodded like he expected her to say that, like he knew she would.

Marie glanced at Daryl and saw the look he was giving her, a look that said he didn't want her to come because he didn't want her in danger but that he also appreciated her volunteering to watch his back. She gave him as small encouraging smile as she heard Sasha and Abraham also volunteer to ride beside them in the car Aaron usually drives.

Later that night, Daryl and Marie stood in their house talking about what had transpired that day.

"I don't want you out there Marie, its gonna be way too dangerous." Said Daryl, preferring she stay behind.

"I don't care, I'm not letting you do this without me. You're not gonna have any protection on your bike, you need someone with you that can watch your back in case something goes wrong." Said Marie.

"Sasha and Abraham will be in a car next to me." Said Daryl.

"Not the whole time! You're gonna have a herd of Walkers on your ass, you need someone riding behind you to make sure none of them get too close." Argued Marie. She wasn't stepping down from this.

Daryl heaved a sigh before walking over to the couch and sitting down, chewing nervously on his thumb.

Marie walked over and kneeled down in front of her best friend.

"Look, I know you wanna protect me Dar, that you want me safe and I get it, but _I_ want _you_ safe too. I wanna protect you same as you wanna protect me. I don't wanna lose you again, I can't. You and Cas are all I have left. Don't make me stay here and worry whether or not something has happened to you." Said Marie, her hands gently placed on his knees.

Daryl looked at her thoughtfully. On the one hand, he wanted to stay behind where she was safe, on the other he would feel a hell of a lot better if he had her riding on the bike behind him, watching his back.

Marie watched Daryl silently, seeing him fighting with himself over whether to let her tag along or not, she could tell by the look he had on his face right now. She stayed silent, letting him make the decision on his own. She had made her argument.

"Alright, but if you're coming you do as I say." Said Daryl.

Marie couldn't help but smile.

"Yes sir Mr. Dixon, no questions asked." She said, giving him a quick peck on the cheek, sitting down next to him.

"Stop." Daryl told her.

"What? I'm just saying that I will do as you say out there. And I won't argue either, even if I don't agree. I'll be a good girl." Said Marie.

Daryl snorted.

"What? I'm a freakin' angel honey." Said Marie, pretending to be offended by Daryl's snort of laughter.

Daryl snorted again, a little harder this time, a small grin ghosting on his lips. He loved giving her a hard time.

Marie gave him a playful shove, but she was smiling. She loved when he was playful with her, he showed that he had another side to him that he didn't show everyone else. It was almost like he saved it for her.

Just then, Cassie came storming through the door, anger clearly set on her features. Marie and Daryl stood up rather quickly as she slammed the door closed.

"What do you think you're doing?" She spit venomously at her sister.

"What're you talking about?" Asked Marie, confused.

"I just heard from Eric. You're going out there? You're gonna help lead that herd? Are you insane?!" Yelled Cassie.

"It'll be fine Cas, we'll lead them away from Alexandria and..." Began Marie.

"Fine?! It is not gonna be fine! You're risking your life when you don't need to, just so you can attempt to keep him safe!" Cassie shouted, cutting off her sister, pointing at Daryl as she finished.

"It's not just about keeping him safe Cas. He's risking his life to help keep all of us safe, so I'm gonna risk mine to keep him safe so we can make sure that we are _all_ safe. If that herd gets out and makes it here, we could all die and I don't wanna see that happen." Stated Marie, trying to get her sister to see reason.

"And what if something happens to you out there? What am I supposed to do? I don't know any of these people, how am I going to trust them to keep me safe if you aren't here?" Asked Cassie.

"Cas, I know no one here would let anything happen to you while I'm gone. And I _am_ coming back. You know that Daryl would never let anything happen to me." Marie told her sister calmly.

Cassie scoffed than stalked off to her room, closing the door hard.

Marie couldn't stop the sigh that left her. She hated when her sister was mad her, even if it wasn't very often. She looked over at Daryl and noticed the look of guilt.

"Dar, please don't. It's not your fault. It was my choice, she'll understand eventually." She told him.

Daryl just nodded, trying to hide the guilt he felt. He felt like he was driving a wedge between the sisters. And that was something that he did not want to do. He felt like this once before, when they were younger. It had seemed to him that the more time she spent with him, the more distance she put between her and Cassie. And here he felt like history was repeating. He also knew they didn't exactly have time to discuss it with her.

"Hopefully while we're gone, she'll cool down and I can talk to her when we get back." Said Marie.

"What if we don't?" Asked Daryl.

"Don't what? Don't come back?" Asked Marie and she watched Daryl nod. "We will, gonna take more than a herd of Walkers to convince me otherwise."

Daryl made note of how confident Marie sounded, yet deep down in her voice he also caught a hint of how nervous she was about tomorrow.

"Hey." He spoke up, getting her attention. "I ain't gonna let nothin' happen to ya. You're gonna make it back here, we're _all_ gonna make it back. You hear me?" He spoke softly but firmly.

Marie nodded, managing a small smile before she walked over and gently wrapped her arms around his waist, noting how he tensed but then quickly relaxed, placing his arms loosely around her.

"What would I do without you?" Marie asked him with slight humor.

"Surprised you made it this far without me." Teased Daryl, which only got him a slap on the chest from Marie but she was smiling at him.

Just then, they were interrupted by a knock at the door. It sounded urgent. Daryl walked over to the door and opened it. On the other side stood Eric and Aaron.

"Hey, what're you guys doing here?" Asked Marie as Daryl stepped aside to allow the two men to enter than shutting the door behind them.

"Marie, I just wanted to say that I am so sorry that I told, I didn't mean to." Said Eric quickly.

"Eric, slow down. It's alright, you did nothing wrong." Said Marie.

"So, what, your sister isn't pissed?" Asked Aaron.

"Oh no, she's plenty pissed. Locked herself in her room. But she would have reacted the same regardless of who told her." Said Marie.

"Is there anything we can do? Maybe I could talk to her?" Eric asked her.

"She's gotta calm down on her own time, it's no good trying to talk to her 'til then." Said Marie. She paused, a thought occurring to her. "But there is one thing you guys could do for me."

"Name it." Spoke Eric.

"Keep an eye on her while I'm gone, make sure she stays safe." Marie requested. She knew it was asking a lot but she also knew it'd make her feel better and less inclined to worry about her sister when she needed to be focused on what her and Daryl needed to do.

"What the ones from your group that're staying?" Asked Aaron.

"Carol is gonna have her hands full with Carl and Lil Asskicker." Daryl told them.

"And Maggie will have her hands full with Deanna, and I don't trust Father Gabriel. Plus Rosita is gonna be keeping herself busy teaching some of the people how to defend themselves. I'd trust no one else with her safety." Said Marie.

Aaron and Eric looked at one another, shared a look than looked back at Marie with smiles.

"We'd be happy to look out for her for you." Said Eric.

"Thank you." Said Marie, breathing a sigh knowing her sister would be safe while she was away.

After finishing talking, Aaron and Eric went home while Marie and Daryl decided to get some rest.


	11. Chapter 11: Leading Them Away

Marie stood next to Daryl as they listened to Rick from where they, along with the others groups that had been put together to deal with the threat of this herd, stood in the quarry. She couldn't say that she wasn't at all nervous, but she knew that she was doing the right thing by volunteering to ride with Daryl so they could keep each other safe so they could keep everyone safe, keep Alexandria safe. Her sister had still been mad at her, but had put that aside long enough to see her sister on her way.

"I know this sounds insane, but this is an insane world. We have to come for them before they come for us. It's that simple. This is where it all starts tomorrow. Tobin gets in his truck, opens the exit and we're off. He gets out, catches up with his team at red staying on the west side of the road. Daryl get on his bike with Marie-" Rick was interrupted by a loud noise behind him.

"You see that?" asked Sasha.

They all watched as the walkers pushed against a semi on top of a cliff before the ground started breaking away and the truck slid down further into the quarry, opening it up to allow the walkers to get out.

"It's open! We got to do this now!" yelled Rick, jumping down from the trailer he had been standing on. "We're doing this now! Tobin's group, get going!"

"No, Rick, we're not ready!" yelled Carter, on the verge of panicking.

"Sasha, Abraham!" yelled Rick but they were already at the car.

"Damn straight, we'll do it live!" said Abraham as he climbed in the passenger seat.

"You meet Daryl at red. Let him take them through the gauntlet." said Rick.

"Yeah, we meet at Redding." said Sasha, hopping in the driver seat than driving away.

Daryl and Marie stood side by side with their weapons raised and ready as everyone else scrambled about, Rick barking out orders as they went. The two of them knew they had to be ready if those walker started coming through before everyone was gone and where they needed to be.

"Rick, this was supposed to be a dry run!" Carter continued to argue.

"Daryl, Marie, get ready!" said Rick.

"They're coming!" yelled Daryl, his crossbow raised steady and ready to fire.

Marie could see Carter still arguing with Rick. She wanted to punch his lights out. It wasn't Rick, or anyone else's fault, that the walkers were breaking out early. They hadn't expected this but there was nothing they could do about that now, all they could do was follow Rick's plan and do what they could to keep the herd or as much of it as they could away from Alexandria, or they would be no home for them to go back to.

"Tobin, hit it on my signal. They're headed for home. We don't have a choice." Rick told everyone that was still there. "Get ready to hit the flares." Rick had his hand raised, ready to signal. He waited only a few moments, making sure everyone was ready. "Now!" He yelled, throwing down his hand and several flares were launched on his command.

Tobin started up the truck he was in as a walker was trying to squeeze through, only succeeding in some of his skin peeling. Tobin pulled the truck forward just enough to allow the walkers through than he jumped out and ran for his group.

Daryl shot the front walker than grabbed hold of Marie's arm, guiding her back to her back but letting her keep her gun trained on the herd just in case. Once they were beside his bike, he let go, slipping on his jacket than climbing on and starting the bike. He felt Marie slide on behind him but sitting backwards like had been planned until they were joined by Abraham and Sasha. He pulled away but kept his speed slow enough the herd could follow but not too close.

Marie sat her gun across her lap but kept her hand on it ready to fire at any walker or walkers that got too close to her and Daryl. This was the reason for her volunteering to come along, to help Daryl in guiding this herd with them, not allowing them to stray or to get one of them. She felt more useful when she was helping, when she was protecting someone and this way she could protect Daryl and also protect all of Alexandria.

"How's it looking back there?" Daryl asked her.

"Good, following right behind but not too close for comfort." Marie told him.

"Alright, Sasha and Abraham should about be at their point." said Daryl as they began to see the line of cars they had set up on the road to keep the herd in line.

Right then, they heard Sasha's voice come over the walkie Daryl had attached to his vest.

 _"We're at red at the bottom of the hill."_ She said.

Marie couldn't help the grin that made its way across her face. Sometimes she didn't know how he did it, sometimes she wasn't sure she wanted to know.

"Alright, here comes the parade." Daryl told Sasha.

They made it to the line of cars, leading the walkers through them. So far, everything was going according to the plan. Marie hoped that things stayed that way too, but she also knew that whenever things seemed to be going good there was always the chance that something could also go wrong. She had learned that through her life, before this world and during it. It was something that could be hard to swallow and deal with, but life didn't always leave you an option. It didn't always ask what you wanted or give you what you wanted, only gave you the choice to live with hand you were dealt. It was your choice how you dealt with it and lived with it.

Marie had always tried to dealt with life with honor and selflessly. She didn't always like the things that happened in her life, but she wasn't going to allow them to drag her down and get the best of her either. That was something she and Daryl had in common. Plus whenever one of them saw the other look like they might crack, they pulled them back up and pushed them on. They had always kept each other sane and strong. That was part of what made them such good friends, why they had such a strong bond. She never wanted to lose that.

Sasha pulled alongside Daryl's bike. She and Marie exchanged a quick look and small smile before refocusing on the task at hand. Things were pretty quiet as they continued along. There wasn't much to talk about anyway. Things just felt too stressed out, too anxious, too on edge. They all just wanted to make sure they kept the people they cared about alive and safe.

Marie heard more flares and knew they had reached Rick, Michonne, and Morgan's spot, orange point, the wall they built to turn the herd the direction they wanted them. She felt Daryl slow the bike more to turn it from Marshall onto Redding, walking it along so she decided to help. She held her gun firm in one hand and held onto Daryl's thigh with the other to keep herself steady, walking along with him but only it was more like she was walking backwards with the way she was sitting. She somehow managed not to trip him up, moving in sync with him long enough until he got the bike moving again, making her place her feet back up.

They continued on down the way, putting more distance between the walkers and Alexandria, from their home. She could make out some of the walkers hitting up against the wall but it held. Before long, the whole herd was following straight behind them again. She looked own long enough to readjust herself and her gun and when she looked back up, she saw Abraham jump out of the car and head toward some walkers that had strayed.

"Shit, Abraham's playing Rambo." Marie told Daryl, jumping off the bike. "I got his back." She added, walking toward the back of the car.

"Marie, don't!" called out Daryl, his voice full of fear but he didn't dare stop.

Marie held her gun up against her chest, ready to be fired if needed as she watched Abraham lead them back toward the herd and back on to the road. She had to say that she was slightly impressed by his bravery, but it was also kind of stupid doing it so carelessly. She could hear Daryl revving his bike, trying to help get the strays back with the group as well as keeping the rest of the herd focused on them. She watched Abraham climb safely back in the car, smiling, before she climbed back on behind Daryl, facing forward now with her hands on his hips and her chest pressed against his back like she normally did, to let him know she was there.

"I'm still here." She whispered in his ear.

"Don't do that shit again." growled Daryl, his voice firm with a slight edge to his tone which showed that he was not happy with what she had done.

"I'm sorry, I just wanted to make sure Abe made it back in the car." said Marie, not surprised by the way he sounded toward her actions. "I won't do it again." She added softly, a tad bit hurt. She heard Daryl give a sigh.

"It's alright, you did what you felt was right, can't be mad at you for that." said Daryl calmly. He had caught the slight bit of hurt in her voice and immediately had regretted being mad at her, knowing she had only done what she was supposed to, doing what she had come along for and that was to keep not only him safe, but Abraham and Sasha as much as everyone else.

Marie smiled a little, giving him a quick and small kiss on his cheek to show that he was forgiven. She glanced back at the herd and saw they were still moving along nicely. She could see movement on both sides of the road in the trees. She knew it was Rick, Michonne, Morgan and Glenn on one side, Tobin's group on the other. They were there to make sure the herd stayed in line. She figured they must have joined up with them not too long after Abraham's little stunt. She felt better with them all there so they didn't have to worry about anymore stragglers.

Everything remained going according to plan. Marie glanced back every now and then to make sure the herd was still there and still following accordingly. She prayed silently each time that things stayed simple, that there was no backfire. And each time she glanced back and saw the whole herd still there, she breathed a sigh that her prayers were answered. That is until the next time she glanced back. This time when she looked back, she saw some kind of commotion going on at the back but she couldn't tell just exactly what.

"I think something's going on toward the back." She told Daryl.

"Like what?" asked Daryl.

"I don't know, I can't tell. It's too far back for me to see." said Marie.

"Shit." She heard Daryl mutter.

"Daryl, Rick and the others are back there." said Marie softly. She was trying to stay calm. She knew they could handle themselves, but she was also worried.

Daryl grabbed the walkie on his vest, pushing the button. "Rick."

 _"I'm here."_ came Rick's voice.

"What's going on back there?" asked Daryl.

 _"Half of them broke off. They're going toward Alexandria."_ said Rick.

Marie felt her heart drop in her chest. Her first thought went to Cassie.

"Towards you?" asked Abraham through his walkie.

 _"We ran ahead. There's a horn or something. Loud, coming from the east. It's not stopping."_ Rick explained to them.

"I'm gonna gas it up, turn back." Daryl told Rick.

 _"We have it. You keep going."_ said Rick.

"They're gonna need our help." Daryl argued.

Marie knew he was thinking along the same lines as her. They had people back there that they cared about. They wouldn't be able to protect everyone from the herd, most of the Alexandrians couldn't protect themselves.

 _"Gotta keep the herd moving!"_ Rick argued back, his voice firm.

"Not if it's going down, we don't." Daryl tried to reason.

 _"The rest of that herd turns around, the bad back there gets worse."_ Rick spoke calmly, trying to get Daryl to see from his side.

On one hand, Marie wanted to side with Daryl, knowing that he was right in that Carol and the others would need their help once the half of the herd made it to Alexandria. On the other, she also knew that Rick was right. They had to keep the half of the herd behind them moving away from home, away from all the people waiting for them.

 _"Daryl!"_ Rick called through the radio.

"Yeah, I heard ya." Daryl told him.

Marie looked at her friend and noticed that he was torn. He probably felt the same as she did, helpless knowing that there were people back home who were probably gonna die and they worried for the friends they had left behind. She knew he wanted to turn back, but he also wanted to do what Rick was wanting him to and keep the herd moving. She placed a gentle hand on his shoulder to try and comfort him.

Daryl felt Marie's hand on his shoulder. He looked back at her over his shoulder, the emotions he felt mirrored in her eyes. He watched her give him the best encouraging smile she could muster. He placed his hand on top of hers, looking down, giving it a small squeeze. He knew her mind was focused mainly on her sister. He made a choice, riding up next the car on Abraham's side.

"Hey, we gone 5 miles out yet?" He asked through the open window.

"Give or take some yardage. You got a reason for asking?" asked Abraham.

"Next intersection we're gonna spin around and go back." Daryl told him.

"The plan is to go 15 more." said Sasha.

"Yeah, I'm gonna change that. Five's gonna have to work." said Daryl.

"The magic number's twenty. That the mission. That's making sure they're off munching on infirm raccoons that rest of their undead lives instead of any of us." said Abraham.

"Look, you wanna go back we can't stop you. But without you, they could stop us." said Sasha.

Daryl fell quiet again, a lot of thoughts running through his head.

Marie watched her friend, wondering what he was thinking. It seemed like he was fighting with himself, fighting with doing what he felt was right.

Then they passed a sign for Alexandria and that seemed to make the choice right there.

"Nah, I got faith in ya." Daryl told Abraham and Sasha before he sped off.

Marie could hear the two of them yelling after them but she couldn't make it out of the roar of the bike. She held on tight as Daryl increased his speed. She knew that he wouldn't let anything happen to her, but she still felt the need to hold onto him more tightly than normal.

Not too long after they had left Abraham and Sasha, Rick's voice came back over the radio. He talked about how he had made it back to the RV and how they needed to do this for the people still in Alexandria, to not follow through on the plan would be selfish of them. Then they heard gunshots and Daryl screeched his bike to a halt on the side of the road, calling to Rick through his radio but received no answer in reply. He hung his head before looking around, unsure what to do.

"So what do we do?" Marie asked him.

Daryl sighed, giving her no answer because he wasn't sure he knew. They had three options: keep going back to Alexandria, go try and help Rick if he was still alive and they could even find him, or head back to Abraham and Sasha.

Marie saw her friend struggling. She got off the bike, kneeling down next him. She placed on hand on bike to keep herself steady while she rested the other gently on his lower leg, drawing his attention.

"Hey. We have to make a choice Dar. If we go back to Alexandria, Rick'll be pissed. If we don't, we have to trust them to handle it until we get back. If we go after Rick, he may not even be there. We go back to Abe and Sasha, we can lead the rest of that herd far enough away. Your call. Whatever you decide, I'm with you." She told him soothingly. She meant when she said that no matter what, she would be with him. She knew he would make the right choice.

Daryl looked down at Marie as she stared up at him, waiting for him to make a choice as he thought over what she had just said to him. She was putting so much faith in him when he wasn't sure he had any in himself. He didn't know why she would put so much faith in a guy like him, he would probably never know. But with the look she was giving him right now, the smile, he was pretty sure that he didn't need to know.

"Let's go." He told her.

Marie smiled even more at her best friend, standing up and climbing back on the bike behind Daryl. She wrapped her arms around his waist, holding on.

Daryl turned the bike around and headed back the way they came. They were rejoining up with Abraham and Sasha to finish what they had started.


	12. Chapter 12: Fighting Our Way Home

Daryl, Marie, Abraham and Sasha had succeeded in leading the herd twenty miles away from Alexandria. They were headed in the direction of home when they were suddenly shot at. Daryl had lost control of his bike for a moment, causing it to skid sideways with him and Marie still on it. They had quickly recovered before causing one car to crash while leading the other away. They were able to lose them but played it safe, going into the woods until they could sure the car wouldn't come back.

Marie helped Daryl lead his bike through the woods, going until they could go no further, letting it fall over. The woods around them looked like they'd been burned a while back, the forest floor grey and black.

"Abraham, Sasha, you there?" asked Daryl as he tried to raise them over the radio but all he got was static. He then noticed the blood dripping from his hand.

"Daryl, you're hurt." said Marie, trying to not make a big deal of it.

Daryl pulled his glove off his hand that was covered in blood than started working on his jacket.

Marie noticed that he was having a little trouble so she walked over and took hold of his jacket to help. As she helped him slide it down his arms, she heard him his in pain and have trouble pulling it down his left arm. She grabbed the sleeve and gently pulled it off, noting the wound just below his elbow.

"Looks like just a bit of road rash." She told him.

Daryl pulled the jacket off his other arm than tossed it aside, clearly irritated than tore off his other glove and threw it away.

"Hey, you need to calm down. We have to stay focused if we're gonna make it back." said Marie, her voice soothing.

Daryl looked at her. He wanted to be angry, but with the way she was looking at him he couldn't be. Then he spotted the blood on her arm soaking through her jacket.

"You're hurt too." He pointed out, gently taking hold of her arm.

Marie looked at her arm that Daryl was holding, seeing what he was looking at. She saw the blood and was just registering the pain. She started slipping off her jacket to get a better look, Daryl helping as she had done for him. Once it was off, she saw what looked like a scratch along the top of her arm.

"Must be a graze from one of the bullets they shot at us." She said.

"I'm sorry. I should've never let you come." spoke Daryl guiltily.

"Hey, stop, don't do that. I wanted to come. Besides, none of us could have known people would be shooting at us." said Marie. She took a handkerchief out of her pocket and as soon as she did, Daryl took it and used it to bandage her arm, wrapping it around the wound. "Thank you." She told him.

Daryl just gave a small grunt in reply as he finished tying off the makeshift bandage and as he did, he watched Marie's hand lay on top of his. He looked back up at her.

"Please don't blame yourself for this. It's not your fault, it's no one's fault but those assholes that shot at us. Besides, could've been worse." said Marie softly.

Daryl stared at her for a minute before nodding. He then turned back to his bike, unstrapping the bag he had attached to it. He went to open it when they heard a rustling. He then grabbed his crossbow. He gazed around while grabbing some brush and pulling it over his bike to hide it.

"Wait here." He told Marie.

"Dar-" Marie began but got cut off.

"Please, just wait here." said Daryl sternly.

"I was just gonna say be careful. And come back in one piece." said Marie.

Daryl nodded before heading off toward the noise they had heard.

Now Marie was alone. All she could do was wait until he came back. Hours passed and Marie felt her mind begin to drift.

 _"I run from hate, I run from prejudice, I run from pessimists, But I run too late. I run my life, Or is it running me. Run from my past, I run too fast, Or too slow it seems. When lies become the truth, That's when I run to you._

 _"This world keeps spinning faster, Into a new disaster so I run to you, I run to you baby. And when it all starts coming undone, Baby you're the only one I run to. I run to you._

 _"We run on fumes, Your life and mine, Like the sands of time, Slippin' right on through. And our love's the only truth, That's why I run to you._

 _"This world keeps spinning faster, Into a new disaster so I run to you, I run to you baby. And when it all starts coming undone, Baby you're the only one I run to. I run to you._

 _"Ooh Ooh, Oh I run to you._

 _"This world keeps spinning faster, Into a new disaster so I run to you, I run to you baby. And when it all starts coming undone, Baby you're the only one I run to. I run to you."_

 _Marie bowed as people around her applauded than she set down her guitar and stepped down from the stage. She enjoyed doing things like this, especially when it earned her some extra cash. And it had started when Merle had dared her to karaoke one night when she was out at a bar with him and Daryl. Now here she was performing in small bars now and then to earn a little spending money._

 _Marie walked over to her best friend and his brother, who were also applauding her performance._

 _"How was I?" She asked the brothers. She valued their opinion over anyone's because they were always honest._

 _"You were great Mar." said Daryl._

 _"Yeah, great for a sappy ass lil' song." said Merle._

 _"Oh I'm sorry Merle, I forgot you don't like sappy, heartfelt shit. Tell you what, you buy me a drink and I'll tell you which one of my female_ _band mates_ _will go home with you tonight." Marie told him with a grin._

 _"Really?" Asked Merle, clearly excited._

 _Marie nodded and she never saw Merle move so fast toward the bar, unless they was a chick he was interested in. She couldn't help but laugh at him._

 _"You're really gonna do that to one of those girls?" Asked Daryl._

 _"See the red head over there with the look of disgust etched on her pretty little face?" Marie pointed to the girl she was referring to._

 _"Yeah." said Daryl, wondering where this was headed._

 _"Well, she's a prissy little bitch who thinks she's better and always has an attitude, but she's also easy so she deserves what's coming to her. Plus if it gets your brother off my back about my song choice than that's an added bonus for me." said Marie with a grin._

 _Daryl couldn't help but laugh. He was just glad his best friend got along so well with his brother otherwise he didn't want to know how she would treat his brother then._

 _Right then, Merle came over with her drink, placing it down in front of her and even surprised them by setting a beer down in front of his brother._

 _"Okay, which of those lovely ladies will I be taking home or going home with?" asked Merle anxiously._

 _"Red head just across the bar, barely there red top and tight ass black pants with heels. Name's Christine, not that it matters to you." said Marie._

 _"Thank ya_ _m'lady_ _. Now if y'all will excuse me, I have business to handle. You two should do the same." said Merle with a wink before walking off._

 _"Geez, he's never gonna give up on that shit is he?" asked Marie._

 _"Ya kno Merle." said Daryl simply._

 _"Yeah, unfortunately I do." said Marie, taking a sip of her drink._

Marie was broken out of her thoughts when she heard noises. She looked around but couldn't see anything. She also realized it was getting dark and Daryl still wasn't back. She wouldn't leave without him so she was gonna have to camp there.

Once she had made sure the coast was clear, Marie decided it was best to conceal herself under the same brush that Daryl used to hide his bike. She grabbed her jacket and his, using hers as a pillow and his as a blanket and laid down for the night, praying Daryl would return in the morning and they could get the hell out of there.


	13. Chapter 13: Knight In Shining Armor

Now that she was cleaned up, Marie felt ten times better. She didn't mind being dirty, but she still had standards when it came to her hygiene. It just made her feel more like a real woman, like things weren't all that different from before. She dressed in some comfortable clothes than headed outside.

She could see everyone milling about, doing whatever duty was required of them. She didn't know what duty Rick was going to assign her, he had yet to tell her. He had told her to get cleaned up first before doing anything else. And now that she was cleaned up, the bandage on her arm fresh and clean, she headed off to find Rick.

When Daryl had finally returned to where he had left her, he had a couple more people with him. Daryl had invited them back with them, but the two freaked and the guy pulled his guy on them, taking Marie hostage and holding the gun to her head until Daryl gave up his crossbow. When he let go of her, he handed his handgun to the girl with him and took Marie's rifle. They got away on Daryl's bike, trying to say they were sorry and Daryl told them they would be.

Daryl and Marie found a gas truck and after getting Abraham and Sasha, they headed home. They ran into a group of bikers on the way who tried to take their stuff but Daryl blew them up with the rocket launcher that Abraham had found.

Once they had finally made it home, they found the tower had fallen, taken a portion of the wall with it and the town was filled with Walkers. Sasha and Abraham had saved Glenn after seeing Maggie and Enid on the wall. Once inside, Daryl filled the lake with gas than lit it with the rocket launcher, drawing the Walkers toward it. They all fought off any stragglers and succeeded in taking back Alexandria, but now the streets were littered with bodies.

"Hey Marie, hold up a second!" yelled a voice behind her.

Marie turned around, only to see Kyle jogging toward her. She rolled her eyes and kept on walking. She had nothing to say to him.

"Hey, I said hold up. What the hell's so urgent?" asked Kyle.

"None of your business Kyle. The hell you want anyway?" demanded Marie, venom in her voice.

"Just wanted to talk. I saw after you came back you had a little trouble moving your arm. You get hurt or something?" asked Kyle.

"What do you care? I don't need your sympathy. Things happen, people get hurt. I'm fine. Now go away." said Marie.

"No, I'm trying to show you that I do give a damn about you. That Dixon is only going to get you killed, like I've tried to tell you for years." said Kyle.

"Okay, now you need to be careful what else comes out of your mouth and you need to step the hell back! You have no idea what happened out there! What we had to deal with out there!" yelled Marie as she stopped and turned on Kyle, drawing attention to them.

"I'm just trying to tell you the truth! I don't want to see anything bad happen to you. And what would Cassie do without you? Who would take care of her?" demanded Kyle.

"Leave her out of this!" shouted Marie.

"There a problem?" asked Spencer as he, Daryl and Michonne walked over toward the ruckus.

"Damn right! He's the problem!" yelled Kyle, pointing at Daryl.

"Just say what you gotta say man. Leave Marie out of whatever shit you have against me." said Daryl, trying to remain calm.

"You don't deserve her! You are nothing but white, trailer trash shit! You always have been and always will! You've never mattered to anyone! She deserves better than you!" Yelled Kyle.

"Like you deserve her any better than I do you sonofabitch! You almost got her killed because you pussied out and lied to her old man to save your own ass!" Bellowed Daryl.

Before anyone knew what was happening, Kyle charged at Daryl and tackled him to the ground. Daryl of course fought back, defending himself from Kyle's attacks.

Rick, Glenn and Abraham ran forward as the fight broke out but didn't try to pull them apart yet, standing back to wait for an opening to slip in and pull the men apart. No one wanted to get between the anger-filled men, except Marie. She ran forward and grabbed hold of Kyle, trying to pull him off.

"Stop it! Kyle, get off him!" She yelled at him.

Kyle's next move threw everyone for a loop as his fist swung around, but instead of hitting Daryl his fist collided with the side of her head, knocking her off him and to the ground. Daryl saw this and horror filled his eyes as he watched her fall with blood dripping down the side of her face.

Watching his best friend being hit by her ex, hurt and bleeding, only heightened his rage. He pushed Kyle off of him and let his fists fly without caring how far he went.

Once the world stopped swimming and her eyes refocused, Marie looked over to see Daryl now had Kyle pinned beneath him, pounding his face and any other part he could find. She knew if someone didn't stop him, he would end up killing him.

"Daryl, stop! Please!" She cried out, hoping he'd hear, but he didn't. It wasn't that she cared what happened to Kyle, it was the fact she didn't want his blood on Daryl's hands, literally and figuratively speaking.

Marie knew that Daryl's rage was blinding him and her cries for him to stop fell on deaf ears. She knew of only one way to get his attention, one way that had worked in the past.

"Sir Lancelot, don't!"

At Marie's nickname for him, Daryl froze. He slowly turned to look at her. He saw her still sitting on the ground where Kyle had knocked her, her eyes frozen on him. He saw the pleading look in her eyes than he realized where his hand was. He had been reaching for his knife when she called out to him.

Daryl removed his hand from his knife and took a few steps back away from Kyle before he did something he may regret. Then he walked over and helped Marie slowly and steadily get to her feet.

That's when they all heard a laugh. They turned to see it was Kyle.

"Man, she has you so whipped. Wrapped around her little finger. You'd do anything she told you without question, like a little lap dog. You're pathetic." Said Kyle.

"You best shut the hell up!" Growled Daryl in warning. He was tired of this guy and all the bull that came out of his mouth.

"Or what? What exactly are you gonna do Dixon? 'Cause I guarantee you aren't gonna do anything she doesn't allow you to. She ain't gonna let you off your leash." Said Kyle.

"Kyle, if you don't shut your mouth, _**I'll**_ be the one to shut it for you. And then when I'm done, I'll let him have at you. All you've done since you've been here is cause problems for everyone. So as far as I can tell, **you're** the one who is pathetic, who's the little lap dog because you've followed me around from day one and harassed me 'cause you don't grasp that there's no us, there never was.

"You obviously don't get the kind of relationship Daryl and I have. Unlike you, he's always had my back just like I've always had his. He's been there for me and I've been there for him. I know things about him no one does and he knows things about me, things you never bothered to learn. But someone like you will never get it.

"And if you don't back off of Daryl, I swear I'll make you regret it for rest of your short, pathetic little existence. Do I make myself clear?!" Said Marie angrily, her eyes burning with rage.

Kyle remained silent when Marie was through with her rant, no longer able to find any words.

Before her anger got the better of her, Marie decided it best to go back to the home she shared with her sister and best friend. As she turned to walk away, she felt Daryl place his hand gently on the small of her back and guide her toward home. She didn't have to look to know he also cast one last glare at Kyle before they began walking away.

Daryl took care of the gash on her face that Kyle had made when he hit her, cleaning it and placing a small bandage over it.

"Thank you." Said Marie.

Daryl gave a grunt of a reply. He never did take compliments or gratitude very well.

Marie took the first aid kit and began tending to his face.

Daryl never had minded when she'd play nurse whenever he got hurt from a fight or what not. She was always so gentle, never said anything as she did what was needed, and never made eye contact either knowing how uncomfortable it would make him.

"Did you mean what you said to Kyle?" Asked Marie as she finished.

"What?" Asked Daryl, slightly confused by her question.

"That Kyle deserves me less than you do, that you deserve me more." As soon as those words left her mouth, Marie grew very nervous as she waited for his answer, hoping that she hadn't crossed a line.

Daryl watched Marie for a minute, watching the nervousness creep into her eyes.

"Of course I did. I'd never do anything to risk your life or your safety and in one go he almost cost you your life because he was too chicken shit to handle his own ignorance." He said.

Marie felt her heart race at Daryl's honest answer. It told her all she needed to know, all she'd been hoping to hear one day.

Daryl started to get up, but Marie's hand grabbing his stopped him. He stared at her, baffled by her action.

With her heart still pounding in her chest, threatening to burst out, Marie slowly leaned forward towards Daryl until her lips touched his. She felt him freeze up and felt panic rise in her, thinking she made a mistake.

When Marie's lips touched his, Daryl couldn't help but freeze, mostly out of shock because he never expected it but also because he never imagined another woman kissing him, especially that woman being Marie who had been his best friend for so long and was someone who truly cared about him.

Marie started to pull away, ready to apologize, but then she felt Daryl push his own lips against hers, returning her kiss.

Daryl placed a hand on her hip while Marie wrapped her arms around his neck as a make out session began, slow and easy. Neither wanted things to progress too fast, enjoying their new connection without rush despite the fact that Daryl had whimpered a little at first until he slowly relaxed and let himself give in.

Daryl never imagined that he would find what he was finding with Marie with anyone. He never believed that he would find affection or love with anyone. He never thought that he was worthy of such things. He always felt worthless, that he didn't deserve such things from anyone. Yet here he was, feeling nothing but affection from the last woman he'd thought he would ever be with.

Wanting to be somewhere where they was less risk of someone seeing them, Daryl broke away long enough to grab Marie by the hand and lead her upstairs to the room they already shared. And Marie followed without question, she already knew.

It wasn't that Daryl didn't want anyone to know or that he was ashamed, it was just that this was a new thing for him and he liked his privacy, didn't like people to be in his business or theirs.

Once they were in the bedroom and the door was shut for additional privacy, lips were reclaimed. The rest of the world was forgotten as they returned to their make out session. They still took their time though, preferring to enjoy every moment.

When Marie started to unbutton his shirt, Daryl grabbed her wrists and stopped her, breaking their kiss.

"I'm sorry." Marie quickly apologized.

"It's okay, it's just...I'm just not ready yet." Said Daryl.

"I understand, it's alright." Said Marie.

"Sorry." Daryl apologized.

"Hey, don't apologize. It's not a big deal Dar, we don't have to do anything you don't feel comfortable with yet." Marie told him, touching the side of his face to calm him. "We can move at whatever pace you choose, no need to rush anything."

Daryl nodded his thanks. He knew that she would get it, that she would understand but he also didn't want to make her wait on him. She deserved to have a proper relationship with a real man, not one like him who actually wanted to take things slow because he was uncomfortable with contact with a other person.

"Besides, probably better for both of us anyway." Said Marie, knowing well along the lines what he was thinking. At his confused look, she added, "I haven't been with anyone since Kyle. Never trusted another man again, especially the way I trust you."

Daryl wanted to go back out and rip Kyle's head off. Marie deserved to be treated way better, like a queen. She was precious but it seemed he was the only one who knew it.

"He ever hurts you again, I'll kill him." He told her.

"Yes sir, my Lancelot." Said Marie with a smile.

"Stop." Said Daryl even though it didn't bother him.

Just then, they heard the front door open and close again.

"Marie?!" Called Cassie.

"Why do little sisters always have such bad timing?" Asked Marie rhetorically with a smile.

Daryl just smiled at her but didn't say anything.

Marie gave him one more last kiss.

"Finish this conversation later?" She asked him.

Daryl remained silent with just a small smirk on his face. He turned and started heading back downstairs.

"I'll be right down, gonna change out of this bloody shirt." Said Marie.

After she had changed her shirt and went downstairs, she saw it wasn't just her sister down there. Rick, Carl, Carol, Glenn, and Maggie were too. The others were probably off on guard duty or one of their other activities.

"My God Marie, your head." Said Cassie upon seeing her sister, reaching out to touch it.

"I'm fine, it looks worse than it is I'm sure." Said Marie, swatting her sister's hand away.

"It looks like shit." Said Rick.

"Thanks Rick." Said Marie with a sarcastic grin.

Rick smirked right back.

"So what'd you do with Kyle?" Asked Marie, curious but not really caring as she walked over and sat on the couch, Daryl sitting on the arm next to her.

"He's locked up right now, Abraham's guarding him just to be on the safe side." Said Rick.

"We were gonna talk to you first before we made a decision." Said Glenn.

"Frankly, at this point I don't care what you do. He attacked Daryl, attacked me. Who's to say he won't attack someone else? And it could be worse next time." Said Marie.

"She's right, he had his chance." Said Rick, siding with Marie.

"So what do we do with him? He can't stay here and we can't exactly cut him lose and risk him coming back to do God knows what." Said Carol.

"Let's not decide anything right now, we're all a little on edge. Let's cool off than we'll figure it out." Said Rick when he saw the look on Marie's face, one that said she knew what had to be done but didn't want to do it.

"I'm sorry you guys, this is my fault. I should've listened to you Dar, should've never brought him here to begin with." Said Marie guiltily.

"It's not your fault Marie, you didn't know what that jackass was capable of. No one could've known." Daryl told her.

"It's not on you, you were trying to do the right thing. None of us can blame you for that." Said Maggie.

"Still, I feel bad for what he did. I put everyone here in danger." Said Marie.

"Hey, don't go blaming yourself because he's an asshole. Like Daryl said, it's not your fault. People changed when the world changed, some more than others. You can't always predict or be prepared for the way they go." Said Rick.

Marie just nodded. She then felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see it was Daryl. She smiled at him, placing her hand on top of his.

"So Marie, why did you call Daryl Sir Lancelot out there earlier?" Asked Rick, curious.

"That's a nickname I gave him a long time ago. My mom would tell me stories at night before bed when I was a kid and one of my favorites was about King Arthur and his knights of the round table. Daryl was always there when I was in a jam and I gave him that nickname because he's my knight in shining armor." Said Marie, smiling.

Everyone kind of grinned and giggled about that while Daryl seemed to gave an awkward grin and turned red.

"Oh, wait til you hear the nickname I gave Merle." Said Marie, hoping to make Daryl feel less uncomfortable.

"Really? What was it?" Asked Carl.

"Come on, his name was Merle." Said Marie, hoping that was hint enough.

Glenn busted up laughing.

"Merlin." He said in his amusement.

"And he absolutely hated it." Said Marie proudly.

"He always did think of you like a little sister." Said Daryl.

"I know, I could always tell by the way he acted with me. We didn't always get along, but I could never hate him." Said Marie.

"Why's that?" Asked Rick.

"He saved my ass once." Said Marie. At the looks of question she received from everyone including Daryl, she added, "I was walking home one day by myself, having just finished running an errand for my mom. I didn't usually walk alone, Daryl was normally with me but he couldn't be that day so I had to go alone. I cut down an alley. That's when these guys blocked, some of the boys from school who were always picking on and bullying Daryl." She swallowed the lump forming in her throat than looked over at Daryl, seeing the fire in his eyes.

Daryl could feel his hands tighten and curl into fists, his knuckles turning white. He didn't like where this was heading. He knew the guys that Marie were talking about, he remembered them quite well.

"There were four of them, two in front of me and two behind me, making sure I couldn't get away. They told me...they said they were gonna hurt me to hurt Daryl, said it was the best to hurt him to make sure that he would never fight back. Two of them grabbed me and pinned me to the wall.

"Before they could do anything, Merle and a group of his buddies showed up, beat the shit out of them. Merle told them that I was Daryl's girl and as long as I was, he and his friends would see to it that no one land a hand on me and if they touched me again, they wouldn't be so lucky next time. The guys took off." Marie finished.

Daryl could still feel the anger coursing through him, but also couldn't help feel a swell of pride at his brother defending and protecting Marie from those punks. He leaned forward with his knees, his hands running through his hair.

The entire room was silent, waiting to see if Daryl was going to blow or not. Everyone watched as he slowly stood up, walking into the kitchen. They watched as he placed his hands on the island and lean on it, his head down. Then they watched as Marie stood as well, following him.

Marie was cautious in approaching Daryl, knowing he was trying hard to control his anger. She slowly walked up behind, carefully reaching out to place a hand on his shoulder. She watched him as she spoke.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have kept that from you. Merle made me promise not to, we both knew what you'd do and I didn't wanna spend the rest of my life seeing you from behind glass." She told him.

Daryl was silent for a minute. It wasn't because he didn't know what to say, he did but he wanted to suppress his anger first. He didn't want to lash out at her, she didn't deserve it. She only did what she had to because she was right, he would've been spending his life behind bars with only a plate glass window when she was able to visit.

"Merle was right." He finally spoke once he knew he could contain his anger. He slowly turned to face his beat friend of years and the woman he was becoming intimate with. "He was right, you're **my** girl and if any man touches you, they won't live to see tomorrow."

Marie opened her mouth to speak, but was surprised when Daryl grabbed her and crushed his mouth to hers.


	14. Ch 14: Finding the Strength in Ourselves

Now that Kyle was locked up in one of the houses, the same house that Rick had been secluded in when he beat up Pete and that Morgan was in when he first came to Alexandria, Marie felt a little more relaxed knowing that he wouldn't bother her anymore. Plus another weight lifted from her shoulders since she had kissed Daryl, making her feelings for him known. She hadn't expected him to kiss her again later in front of part of their group, but she was kind of glad he did because she didn't have to hide them from anyone. She currently was outside with everyone, helping in the clean up of Alexandria.

Most of the bodies that had littered the streets were already picked up and burned thanks to Abraham and others. Marie, Daryl, Carol, Cassie, Glenn, and Maggie had relieved some so that they could rest and get cleaned up as well as eat. Rick had gone back to be with Carl as he recovered from being shot. They all knew that eventually them would have to work on getting the wall back up once they got all the dead walkers and debris from the tower and fallen wall cleared away. It was going to take awhile but as long as they worked together, they could do it. They could keep this community going so long as everyone pulled together and did their part.

"Hey Marie, why don't you go check up on Rick. Maybe take him something to eat. He hasn't eaten since all this went down, since Carl got shot. Michonne said she tried but he refused." said Carol.

Marie nodded than headed to where she knew Rick was, stopping only briefly to grab some food for him, hoping she could get him to eat. She walked into the infirmary, walking back to the room where Carl was laying and Rick sitting by his bedside. She couldn't help but feel for the man, he came so close to losing his son. She tapped lightly on the door frame, announcing her presence.

"Hey Rick. Brought you some food, you need to try and eat something." She told him.

"Thank you Marie, but I'm not hungry." said Rick.

"Come on, you haven't in thing for some time now. You should at least try." Marie coaxed.

"I can't." said Rick.

Marie was about to give up, ready to leave and let the man be but the sound of Rick's voice when he spoke next stopped her as she turned away.

"Jessie, Sam and Ron are all dead. Sam froze for some reason and we couldn't get him to move. He was first, got taken by a couple walkers. Jessie screamed as she watched him get eaten, drew more to us. She wouldn't move, even as Carl tried to get her to come with us . They were on her. They took her. She wouldn't let go of Carl's hand so...I had the hatchet in my hand and I had no choice, I chopped off her hand to save us, to save Carl. Then Ron pointed a gun at me and Michonne took him out. The gun went off. I didn't know it but Carl was hit. I looked over and saw the blood on his face before he fell. I grabbed him and Michonne cleared the way as we ran here." Rick told her.

Marie remained silent as she listened to Rick speak, telling her what had happened before she, Daryl, Sasha and Abraham had gotten back. She felt her throat tighten as she listened, tears forming. She had only briefly met and spoken with Jessie, but she was a nice person who didn't deserve to die the way she did. She also knew that Rick had held affection for the woman from the way she had seen him look at her.

"After we got him here, I went back out and started taking out walkers with the hatchet. I was fueled by my rage, my fear, maybe even grief. I just kept going. Eventually Michonne and others started coming out to help me. I wasn't even thinking about myself, I just needed to do something, like I did when I lost Lori. I couldn't just stand in here and do nothing while my son was lying on a gurney, possibly dying. I tried to save Jessie and her family but I failed. I failed them and I failed Carl. Everything I did was in vain 'cause they still died and my son is lying in a bed, shot again because of me." Rick continued.

"Rick, that's enough!" said Marie just loud enough to get his attention, cutting him off after hearing enough of him doubting himself. "You failed no one. You did everything that you could to keep everyone safe but there was no way that you could save everyone here. Nothing you did was in vain because Carl is still alive. There are a lot of people here still alive because of you and what you did. You saved this place Rick and there are going to be people thanking you for what you did last night. No one is going to blame you for those that we've lost. Not everyone can be saved, you know that. It is just not possible anymore. People are going to die, that's always been how the world is, even more so now. There are threats everywhere and you can't walk away from all of them. You saved this place, its people, and you saved Carl. That's more than most could ever do. But you did." She said sternly.

"Denise saved Carl, not me Marie." said Rick.

"But if you hadn't gotten him here when you did, she might not have been able to. _You_ brought him here so she could deal with his injury, _you_ helped save him." said Marie with a little more force.

Rick seemed to be thinking over what she had said, over what all had happened last night. Deep down, he knew that Marie was right.

"Hey Marie, can you not tell anyone about this? About our conversation?" He asked.

"Sure, I don't have a problem keeping this between us." said Marie with a soft smile.

"Thank you." said Rick with a small, short smile of his own.

"Listen, why don't you go get cleaned up some. You look like shit. I'll sit with him for a while." said Marie. She was being honest, he did look like shit still covered in walker blood.

Rick nodded hesitantly before slowly getting up and walking out.

Marie sat down in the chair that Rick had previously occupied. She waited until she was sure that Rick was gone than she hung her head and let the tears fall lose, quietly sobbing. She didn't realize how much everything that had happened had affected her until she listened to watch Rick had told her, that just adding to the pile. Sam and Ron were just kids and they didn't deserve to die especially after just losing their dad even those he was a piece of shit who beat them and their mom. And Jessie, she had always seemed so sweet and Marie felt bad for Rick knowing how much he must have cared for her but not knowing if he had ever acted on how he felt about her. She hated losing people, no matter if she knew them well or not.

In the past few days, so many people had died that did not need to die. And their losses just seemed to keep piling up. She did not want to lose anyone else, especially someone close to her like Daryl or Cassie. It would kill her. Or someone like Glenn who had become like a brother to her, Carol who she had also gotten somewhat close to. And Carl and Judith, she had also taken a fondness to them as well. She was getting close to everyone in the group. She wasn't sure how much more loss anyone here could tolerate.

As Rick at talked, she could not help but to picture herself in his shoes and losing either Cassie or Daryl or even both. If she lost either one of them, it would cripple her but losing both of them would kill her. She didn't think she would be able to handle that. She didn't even want to find out how either scenario would make her feel. She prayed everyday that they both stayed safe.

Right then, there was a knock on the door and Marie quickly looked up to find Daryl standing in the door way. She quickly wiped away the tears.

"Saw Rick heading home, he said you had offered to sit with Carl while he cleaned up." said Daryl, purposely avoiding the fact that he had found her crying.

"Yeah, figured maybe getting himself cleaned up might help him feel better." said Marie as she watched Daryl walk closer to her, leaning on the table next to Carl's bed. "Dar, he's blaming himself for what happened to Carl. Seems to think there was more he could've done."

"That's bullshit, he did all he could. Ain't no reason for him to think any of this was his fault. Hell, if Carl was awake he'd tell his dad the same thing. None of us could've done any better. What happened was gonna happen the minute those walkers headed this way. Shit just hit the fan, that's all. None of us could've seen this shit comin'." said Daryl.

"I tried to tell him, but he wouldn't listen. He made me promise not to tell anyone about our talk just now, he told me some things that went on before we got back." said Marie.

"So don't, keep your promise. It's obvious to all of us that he's blaming himself. Not the first time Carl's been shot, he blamed himself then too. Rick always blames himself when something happens to one of us, always things there was more that could have been done. All we can do is be here and do what we can to help him." said Daryl.

Marie nodded. Her best friend always had a way of putting her at ease. He knew Rick best after all and knew what they could do.

"At some point we're gonna have to clear that fallen tower and get that wall back up before more walkers make it in here. Probably gonna have to double up on guard duty too." She said, focusing on other matters that needed tending to.

"Yeah, don't need another herd making it through the walls. After last night, we don't need anything else going wrong right now." said Daryl.

"Sasha will probably be one of the first to volunteer for guard duty. Maybe Abraham, Rosita and Aaron too. Probably need another supply run too before long." said Marie.

"'Lotta things that will need to be done. We'll get to them, gotta work on getting everyone regrouped and all that." said Daryl.

"Yeah, gonna be a lot of people still scared after having all those walkers in here. Just hope none of them will wanna leave." said Marie.

"Can't really stop 'em though. If they wanna go, they're gonna leave one way or another." Daryl told her.

"Daryl, we both know they wouldn't make it out there, especially if there are more of those assholes we ran into and from what you told me of what happened when we got separated, there's most likely a whole group of them." said Marie, her concerns showing in her voice.

"Hey, we're gonna be just fine." said Daryl as he moved to kneel in front of her, placing his hands on her arms. "Even if there are most of those guys, we'll handle them if that time ever comes. I'm not gonna let anything happen to you, or Cassie."

"I know, I just don't want anymore bad shit to happen. We've lost enough, I don't wanna lose anyone else. I can't. I can't lose Cas, I can't lose you Dar." said Marie, staring into his eyes. She wanted him to know what she had been thinking since the quarry. "I don't know what I would do if I was in Rick's shoes right now. I don't know if I could handle it."

"You could Mar, I know you could because you're strong. I know you are, you always have been. You are so strong and you could handle anything. I know because I've seen it. I see it now. After what your father did to you, you're still here. You're sitting here in front of me, you kept you and your sister alive out there when you were alone. I've never met anyone as strong as you. I don't want you to ever doubt yourself, to doubt the strength the strength that you possess. And I know that even if you lost Cassie, if I was gone, you would be able to go on. No just 'cause of your strength but because that's what you knew it's what we would want. That's how you would make sure that we lived on, how you would keep us alive." Daryl admitted to Marie, knowing that she needed to hear this.

Marie felt choked up again. Even though before she had thought that losing Daryl and Cassie would destroy her, she knew that what Daryl had just said was much more true. She would never be able to give up, she would go on because she would want to be sure that no one would forget her best friend or her sister. She would do anything and everything to ensure that their memory would live on through her.

"What would I do without you?" She asked him, the question being more rhetorical than serious.

Daryl just smirked but said nothing. He knew that he didn't need to.


	15. Chapter 15: Rebuilding Ourselves

Rick had called a meeting. Daryl, Marie, Cassie, Carol, Glenn, Maggie, Abraham, Rosita, Eugene, Tara, Sasha, Aaron, Heath, Morgan and Michonne stood gathered with him in their house. They didn't know exactly why he had gathered them there, but they knew that it was for good reason. He had something that he needed to tell them, something important and they were all willing to listen.

"First off, I wanna start by apologizing to all of you. The way I've been doing things, it was wrong. I thought we'd be better off with it being just us, no one else. I didn't think we could trust anyone else outside of our group and there were times it was true. Then when Aaron found us and brought us back here, I was proven wrong. We needed this place, these people as much as they needed us. There is safety in numbers, and last night proved that. It wasn't just us out there, everyone did their part and we all keep working together by doing what needs to be done to rebuild this place and help it grow. We can do anything as long as we work as a community." Rick began. He looked around at the people he had gathered with him. "One way we could do that is by building a maze for the walkers that find their way here, make it almost impossible for them to get in. Maybe even turn them in another direction, away from here without risking any lives."

"We could also make the walls more secure by packing dirt against them." said Eugene.

"If the dirt is packed up high enough, we could built a walkway around the perimeter that could handle any walkers lurking around." added Michonne.

"Everyone should carry weapons now as well. Those who don't know how to use one can just get their asses some training." said Abraham, adding in suggests of his own.

"I can take care of that." spoke up Marie.

"You sure you want to do that Marie?" asked Rick.

"Yeah. Daryl taught me, it's my turn. I've already taught Cas a little. Let's face it, a lot of these people need it. No offense to anyone else but I'm best suited for that." said Marie.

"I'll help you." volunteered Rosita.

"Me too." spoke up Sasha, volunteering as well.

Marie nodded her thanks but said nothing else.

"These are all good ideas. We should have more meetings like this in the future to discuss things like this so we can keep this community going and everyone in it." said Rick.

"I'm done with recruiting. I know that there are more people out there who need help and may not even make it on their own for long, but it's just too dangerous right now to keep doing it." Aaron suddenly spoke out, surprising everyone.

"You sure you wanna do that Aaron?" asked Carol.

"I am. Besides, I think I would be of more use here." said Aaron.

"We could use more people on supply runs so we can scout out to more areas." said Heath.

"Count me in." said Glenn. He was their supply run expert when it was just his group. Deanna had even added him to the supply run group they had had when they had arrived, knowing that his expertise would prove useful and it had. "I think that we could also use more community events, get to know more of the people here. I think it would be nice to know everyone's names."

"I can handle the community events. I use to always help mom and friends plan events before all this. I'd really like to do that." said Cassie.

"That's true. She was pretty good at it too. And I think everyone would benefit from it, keep things at least a little bit normal and maybe even keep people calm now that they have seen how bad things can get." said Marie.

"Good, that job is all yours Cassie. Don't let us down." said Rick, giving her an encouraging smile. He had faith in all his people, in the Alexandrians now too. "All these suggestions are great. In time, I think we can make this place bigger, even get a farm going so we can grow more of our own food. That will cut down on supply runs for food. And Daryl and Marie are both skilled hunters so we wouldn't go without meat. We do this right, this community will thrive just how Deanna wanted it to."

Everyone around him looked at their leader, feeling their confidence and respect for him grow as they watched him change into the man he was always meant to be before their eyes. They truly believed that he was going to make this community grow just like he was talking about. And they were all going to see to it that they helped it do just that. Everyone was going to do their part.

As Rick concluded their little meeting, everyone began to disperse. There was still things that needed to be done right now, still jobs to do to get Alexandria cleaned back up to the community it was supposed to be before they began anything else.

Marie is walking with her sister, Daryl having hung back with Rick. She knew that Rick was going to need him right now, with all that he was going through. Rick had told her that Daryl was like his brother and he was going to need his brother for a while if they were truly as close as Rick had told Marie that they were and from she could tell, they were.

"You know, I'm not at all surprised that you volunteered to train people how to use weapons. Thanks to Daryl teaching you those years ago, you're as good as he is. Hell, the both of you can use anything for a weapon if it means staying alive. That's why I don't worry too much about you when you go outside the walls, especially when you're with him. I know he'll do anything it takes to keep you alive and safe, same as he always has. He's never let anything happen to you before, I know he's not going to start now." said Cassie.

"So what was with the third degree you gave me before I left?" asked Marie.

"I don't know, I guess I just wasn't sure that Rick's plan was even gonna work. I didn't think he'd get anyone killed but I knew that all of you were putting your lives at risk and I was scared. I'm sorry I gave you such a hard time." said Cassie.

"It's okay, I think I would've done the same if it was you or even Daryl. Actually, pretty sure I did do the same when I had to convince him to let me go with him." said Marie.

Cassie couldn't help but laugh a little bit, not at all surprised.

"I guess the three of us just need to stick together then huh? Bad things seem to happen when we're not together." She said.

"Yeah, that they do. I think as soon as this community gets back up on it's feet, things will start to get better and we won't always have to split up like this. I just wanted to make sure I rode with Daryl 'cause I don't really trust anyone else to watch his back when he needs it. And I knew with you being here, I know that you're safer, especially once we can get these walls are fortified again and stronger." said Marie.

"I agree. No one else has been better at watching Daryl's back than you. I don't think even he would have it any other way." said Cassie.

"Maybe, but there will be times when I can't be out there with him and I'll just have to trust him to make it back here." said Marie.

"You mean back here to you." said Cassie teasingly.

"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Marie.

"Oh come on, Daryl kissed you in front of all of us! And I know that he wasn't the one to make the first move. You had to have made the first move, we both know he wouldn't have. All I have to say is that it's about damn time!" said Cassie, grinning from ear to ear.

"About damn time for what?" asked Daryl as he caught up.

"You and my sister to finally do the intimate tango." said Cassie.

"Cas, stop, don't do that. And Daryl and I, we're not like that. Even if Daryl and I had done this years ago, we still couldn't be like normal couples are. There's nothing normal about either one of us anyway, you know that." said Marie, not wanting her sister's teasing to make Daryl uncomfortable. She glanced over at him and saw he was indeed slightly uncomfortable but not like she would have figured he would be.

"Yeah, you two always have been a little weird, even more when you're together." said Cassie with a grin, trying to lighten things up.

"I'll show you weird you little minx." said Marie as she started chasing her sister.

Daryl watched the two sisters, a small smile on his face. He was glad they had made up and had no hard feeling toward each other. He didn't want anything to come between them, especially him.

Marie chased Cassie right into their house but she made it to her room, closing her door and locking it before she could catch her.

"Oh you just wait, ya gotta come out eventually." said Marie.

"No I don't." said Cassie, taunting her sister.

Marie just laughed than walked into the living room and plopped down on the couch to catch her breath. She heard Daryl walk in a few minutes later.

"Didn't catch her huh?" He asked her.

"Nope, she made it into the safety of her room before I could." said Marie. She watched Daryl walk toward the couch, sitting on the table in front of it, in front of her.

"So you just gonna wait her out?" Daryl asked.

"Yep, no way is she gonna be able to stay locked in there forever." said Marie with a smile. She watched Daryl smile a little than his face fell. "Hey, sorry if what she said out there made you uncomfortable. You know how Cas can be."

"It wasn't really that, it's just that...well now that there is an us, I'm not sure what to do, how to act. You know I don't know anything about this kind of stuff." said Daryl, picking at his nails nervously.

"Daryl, I don't want you to act any different than you always have." Marie spoke as she sat up so she was more face to face with Daryl. "I don't care if you're not experienced with this kind of thing, I don't want or need you to be. I want you just the way you are, that's what has always made me care so much about you. You being you Daryl, I don't want you any other way. And I don't want us to be a normal couple, to do things that normal couples do. I want us to be just that, us. I don't want anything to change with us. You're still my best friend. We are still the same two people we've always been, just a little closer than before."

Daryl nodded, feeling a little bit more relaxed. He hadn't really thought about what they were now but listening to Marie, he knew that being classified as a couple was all they could be now. They had moved a step further in their relationship, they weren't just friends anymore. It all seemed to make sense to him, and it was both scary and gratifying to him.

"I want that too, for us. I can't help but feel scared, at the same time I'm happy." He told her.

Marie placed her hands in Daryl's, holding on to him with a light smile on her face.

"I'm glad you're happy, I am too. No one had ever made me feel the way you do. And I know you're scared, I am too but we can be scared together." She said, giving his hands a gentle squeeze.

Daryl only nodded, squeezing her hands back. He could feel his heartbeat go back to normal, and he didn't feel as nervous as he did ever since their first kiss. He had not known how to act around her after their little kiss session and he was terrified that this would affect their friendship, but from what he could tell so far it had not affected their friendship at all. Outside of the house, they were still best friends and inside the house they could be more relaxed and as close as they wanted to be without a bunch people around to make things uncomfortable. He felt Marie pulling him forward so he let her, allowing her to pull him over onto the couch next to her, still facing her.

"I need to know something though Dar." said Marie, pausing a moment to consider her question carefully. "What do you want out of this?"

"What do you mean what do I want?" asked Daryl, a bit baffled by her question.

"I mean, a relationship? If you do than do you want companionship, love, trust, intimacy, security, stability, or just a fling?" asked Marie. She really wanted to know his honest answer. She knew that he would never use her like some guys, but she also wanted to make sure that he was in this for the long run, however long that might be. She wanted to make sure this was what he wanted too.

Daryl thought for a minute, pondering how to answer her question. He wasn't like most men, like guys like his brother. He didn't mess around with any woman that threw herself at him, he just wasn't like that. Things like that had always made him uncomfortable but he also knew that if he was to ever end up with someone, he wanted it to be someone who actually cared about him, who would love him and that he could trust. And no one had ever or would ever fit that bill like Marie.

"What I want out this, you already give me. Things like feelings and affection have never been my thing, you've always known that but it never stopped you from slowly trying to get me to open up and no one has been able to do it the way you have. You've had more patience with me than anyone I've ever known, you never pushed me to do anything I didn't want to. You understand me and know when I need you and when I don't. Thing is, I'll always need you Mar. You've always been much more than a friend to me. I trust you more than I ever have or ever will anyone. I know that I can depend on you, I know you're always there for me even when you're not. And you've always accepted me the way I was, the way I am even now. We're in this together, same as always. Nothing will ever change things between us.

"That's what I was mostly afraid of earlier, I thought what happened was going to change everything between us and that it was all going to be different for us. I've seen how Merle treated the women he was with, I've seen how other guys have treated their women and I didn't want that shit to happen with us. I didn't want to treat you like shit or for you to be one of those clingy bitches that my brother always warned me about. I know that's stupid, I know you would never be like that and my brother was an idiot. I know we'll never be like that, but I couldn't help being afraid. I'm actually glad you asked what I wanted out of this, it feels better getting this off my chest." He told her, letting everything pour out of his so she knew the truth.

"Thank you for being honest with me Dar. It's okay to be afraid, that normal. And I would never let anything get in the way of our friendship. I would rather have you as my friend than not have you in my life at all. I never have and never will trust any man the way I do you, never feel for any other man the way I do with you Daryl. You make me feel different, special. I feel like I matter when I'm with you." said Marie.

"You do matter Mar, you've always mattered." said Daryl, one of his hands finding its way to the side of her face.

Marie couldn't help the smile that spread on her face, her hand coming to rest of top of his as she closed her eyes and nestled into his touch. She had never had any man have this effect on her the way Daryl did. She liked it though. When she opened her eyes, she saw Daryl watching her. She smiled at him than moved closer, laying her head on his shoulder and wrapping her arms around him. She felt his wrap around her small frame, pulling her closer as she lay against him.

This right here, pressing herself against Daryl, her best friend since childhood, and laying wrapped up in each other's arms was her idea of heaven. This is right where she wanted to be, where she needed to be, where she was meant to be. And if it was all a dream, she never wanted to wake up.


	16. Chapter 16: All Time Is Precious

The next morning, Daryl and Marie went over to Rick's house even though they knew he wouldn't be there. He'd still be with Carl. He spend most if not all of his time with his son, so Daryl and Marie took it upon themselves to check in on Judith and sometimes relieve whoever was taking care of her. When they walked in, they saw Eric pacing with a crying and seemingly inconsolable Judith.

"Thank God, she's been like this the last half hour. I don't know what else to do, she won't stop." Said Eric, obviously exhausted and stressed.

"Here, let me try." Said Marie, taking Judith from Eric. She started humming a tune.

Eric sat down on the couch to rest while Daryl leaned against the wall, watching his girl with the baby currently in her arms. Then he listened as she softly began to sing.

"A gentle breeze from Hushabye Mountain, Softly blows o'er lullaby bay. It fills the sails of boats that are waiting-Waiting to sail your worries away.

"It isn't far to Hushabye Mountain, And your boat waits down by the quay.

"The winds of night so softly are sighing-Soon they will fly your troubles to sea.

"So close your eyes on Hushabye Mountain. Wave good-bye to cares of the day. And watch your boat from Hushabye Mountain, Sail far away from lullaby bay."

When Marie had finished singing, Judith had calmed down and stopped crying. She still paced slightly with the small child securely in her arms.

"That was beautiful Marie." Said Eric.

"Thanks. It's from one of my favorite movies from when I was little, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang." Said Marie.

"Oh I remember that movie! Although I have to say that you did that more beautifully than Mr. Van Dyke." Said Eric cheerfully.

"Thanks Eric." Said Marie, smiling at the compliment.

Just then, there was a brief knock on the door than Aaron walked in. He saw Marie holding Judith and Daryl watching her.

"Oh, hey guys. I was just coming to relieve Eric but looks like you guys beat me to it. " He said.

"Yeah, and it was good timing too. I could not get her to stop crying than Marie sings to her and she calms down. Did you know that Marie could sing?" Eric asked his boyfriend.

"No, I did not. Apparently another of her multitude of talents." said Aaron.

"She has such a beautiful voice too. You should hear her!" said Eric.

"Maybe some other time Eric, Cassie is standing outside waiting for you. Apparently you made her a promise for today." said Aaron.

"Guess I should go then. See you guys later." said Eric as he got up and headed for the door, stopping briefly to kiss Aaron before leaving.

"So what exactly did he promise to do with my sister?" asked Marie, curious to know what her sister was up to.

"I have no idea. She didn't say and he hasn't either." said Aaron.

"Well I did volunteer her to plan events, maybe that's what they're doing." said Marie. It had been a couple weeks since that meeting.

"With Rick staying by Carl's side, running and taking care of this place as well as the people in it falls on the rest of us for now." said Daryl.

"Yeah, just glad he finally woke up. Just too bad he thought his mom was still alive. Rick's gonna have a lot on his plate for a bit." said Marie.

"Oh, speaking of, Rick asked if I saw you to tell you he needs to talk to you." said Aaron to Daryl.

"He say what about?" asked Daryl.

"No, just to deliver that message to you if I saw you." said Aaron.

Daryl nodded than left.

Marie set Judith down in the living room, giving her some toys.

"How's everything going with you guys? " asked Aaron.

"Good, real good. Been doing a lot of talking, still keep away from PDA right now. Minus that one time he kissed in front of you guys but I think that was different." said Marie.

"You guys do anything more than kiss? " asked Aaron as they sat on the couch together.

"No, not yet. I want to and I think he does too, but he's still new to this and still nervous about it all. I don't want to push him, told him we'd move at whatever pace he was comfortable with." Marie told him.

"But you want to move things along." Said Aaron. It wasn't a question. He could read her well enough.

"Yeah. We all only have so much time in this world and it grows shorter with each passing second. You never know what's going to happen and I don't want to regret what we didn't do or have to wish for things we can't do because something bad happened to one of us." Said Marie.

"You need to tell him. You need to let him know how you feel. He loves you, even if he isn't ready to admit it yet. I can tell from the way he looks at you. I'm sure he's thought the same as you, I just think the way he is and the way he had to grow up has him more afraid of letting him act on how he feels or even admit how he feels. Talk to him, I don't think you'll regret it. Besides, one of you has to take the first step forward." Said Aaron.

"I don't wanna push him. What do I do if he just gets angry and we end up fighting 'cause he thinks I'm trying to force him into something he's afraid of?" Asked Marie.

"You're more than welcome to come stay with me and Eric if you feel you need to. If he gets angry than he honestly needs to think about what he really wants and if he's even ready to be in a relationship with you. You can't be the only one making the moves. There's two of you involved in this." Said Aaron. He was happy to give her advice, she had been coming to him since she and Daryl had declared themselves officially as a couple.

"Is that what it's like for you and Eric? You two work together?" Asked Marie.

"It wasn't like that at first, we had to work at it for awhile. It's harder when there's people who don't approve of your lifestyle choices. Things got better as time went on though. That's how I know you and Daryl will make it, you two are good for each other." Said Aaron, smiling at his friend.

Marie couldn't help but smile back. She was glad to have someone to go to when she needed them, and she was glad that person was Aaron. Since coming here, she felt she had found a brother that she had longed for. Sure Merle had been like a brother to her too, but with Aaron it was different. With Merle he was more the annoying brother while Aaron was the loving brother you could depend on and go to when you needed a shoulder.

"I appreciate you listening Aaron. Feels good to have someone I can go to about this stuff." She said.

"It's my pleasure, glad to be of service somewhere." Said Aaron, trying to make a joke but didn't succeed well.

"You miss recruiting don't you?" Asked Marie.

"Yeah, I do actually. Felt good to get out of here once in a while. You and Daryl miss it?" Asked Aaron.

"Yeah, but still being able to get out and hunt helps just a little. It'd drive us nuts if we couldn't get out, especially Daryl. He prefers the woods over anything." Said Marie.

"Were things really that bad for him?" Asked Aaron.

"Yeah. He didn't have the loving family most kids should have, and I was his only real friend until the world went to shit and he found Rick and the others. He said they've been good to him, but I think he still feels like the odd man out with them sometimes." Said Marie, pausing in her speaking as she thought about what she was about to say.

Aaron watched Marie, knowing she had more to say but was choosing her words carefully.

"The way he was out there with you, I haven't seen him like that with anyone for some time. He's never been that quick to trust someone since me. He saw you as someone who was more like him, someone who understood him and wouldn't judge him for being who he is." Said Marie.

"Daryl is the kind of guy who tries to be tougher than he is, tries to make people think he's not bothered by anything when he really is. Say he lost you, he would break. He'd be lost.

"When I first saw him while I was observing your group, I saw him walk off on his own. I saw how troubled he was by something, how conflicted he felt, how he wanted to pull away but couldn't. Then you followed him and comforted him by just being beside him, not having to say anything.

"I knew the two of you had a bond deeper than anything I've ever seen. That's why you two belong together. I don't see him allowing anyone else to get that close when he's emotional like he was that day. He needs you. You belong with him." Said Aaron.

"They'd just lost this girl, Beth. She was Maggie's younger sister. I guess they'd all gotten separated after a guy attacked them, this happened before I found them. She got taken by these people and they tried to get her back. Things went bad and she was killed. Maggie was devastated but I think it hurt Daryl more. I think he blamed himself. He was with her when she was taken.

"I don't know what all happened between them, he won't talk about it but I just wanted to help him and yet I didn't know how. He wouldn't talk to me at all, hardly regarded I was there. I felt like he was pushing me away. Then you found us and brought us here and things started to change. After you gave him that bike to work on, he came and got me. It was the most we'd spoken in weeks. He told me he was just protecting me, wanting to keep from both us getting hurt if something happened.

"I guess if it wasn't for you, I don't think Daryl and I would be where we are now. I don't think our relationship would have been repaired if we were still out there. Some of us were losing hope while the rest of us tried to stay strong. They'd stopped trusting other people. This turned out to be a really good thing for all of us. So thank you for bringing us here Aaron. You have done more than you for us." Said Marie, a few tears escaping her eyes as she spoke.

Aaron reached up and gently wiped away the tears. He then rested a hand on top of hers, offering a smile.

"You're very welcome." He told her.

"You really think this is a good idea? I mean, I don't think this is what your sister had in mind when she volunteered you to be our event planner Cas." Said Eric, an edge of nervousness in his voice.

"It'll be fine Er. She needs this, they all do. No one has been right in weeks, all acting like a bunch of Nervous Nellies. This will help everyone fell more relaxed, especially my sister. She loved this kind of stuff before the world fell apart, I don't think she stopped. I just feel like I really need to do this." Said Cassie.

"Alright, well what else did you have in mind?" Asked Eric, putting his nervousness aside, wanting to help his friend if it meant that much.

"Glad you see this my way. Trust me, this will be great for everyone. They all need their spirits lifted so we can get this place back up in working order." Said Cassie.

"You're right, we all need something good right now and I'd say this is it." Said Eric, smiling at his friend.

"We'll either have to see if Spencer will let us use his place or if Father Gabriel will allow us to have the church for this." Said Cassie.

"The church might be best. Give everyone a comforting space plus plenty of room to mingle." Said Eric.

"Good. I don't know if we'll be able to have any food til someone goes on a run." Said Cassie.

"We'll have to check with Olivia. I'll see what Aaron and I can spare. Maybe see if Marie and Daryl can do some hunting." Suggested Eric.

"I'll talk to them, think we're in need of meat anyway so it'll be a good cover. I really wanna keep this a surprise." Said Cassie.

"Honey, my lips are sealed." Said Eric with a grin.

"And you better keep them that way young sir." Said Cassie, trying to sound a little threatening even though she was playing.

Marie must have fallen asleep while hanging out with Aaron because next thing she knew, she woke up in her own bed but she was alone. Then she realized what had woken her. Raised voices coming from downstairs.

As quietly as she could, Marie got up and headed out of her bedroom. It took her a moment of listening to recognize the voices.

"Why the hell is she talking to you about this shit?! If she's been feeling this way than why didn't she come to me?!" Yelled Daryl.

"'Cause she's afraid of how you'll react. She doesn't want you to feel pressured or like she was trying to rush you." Said Aaron calmly.

"Yet she went behind my back and talked to you about this shit and sent you to do it for her." Said Daryl.

"No, I only told you 'cause I know she won't. She's too afraid of losing you. She cares about you alot and wants to be with you, no regrets. You guys don't have all the time like you used to. Time runs out quicker than it used to. I know you care about her too, you need to let her know how much. If you can't say it than you need to show her. Or do both." Said Aaron.

Daryl sighed, leaning on the counter for support. He had no idea how to act on what Aaron was telling him. It wasn't that he didn't want to, he did but he had never been in this kind of a relationship and was terrified on how to proceed. He wanted to be good for Marie but at the same time, he didn't believe he was good enough for her. To him, she deserved more.

"I'm not good enough for her." He ended up confessing.

"What?" Asked Aaron, confused. He wasn't sure he heard right.

"Marie, I'm not good enough for her. I'm an asshole, a piece of shit. I'm damaged and scarred forever by the shit my old man did to me. She's the only one I've let get this close to me and now that we're together, I'm terrified I'll screw this up, that I'll just end up hurting her." Said Daryl.

"You can't think like that Daryl. Marie doesn't see any of that when she looks at you. She sees the same thing I do, a great man that she loves. She doesn't care about your scars, she cares about you and who you are." Said Aaron.

Daryl scoffed at that, not because of what Aaron said but at the the thought of how could she? She knew how he had gotten his scars, she had seen it first hand the things his father did to him. Hell, his old man had even given her one when she put herself in front of him to protect Daryl. It was a painful reminder of the lengths she was willing to go for him.

"Ask her yourself." Suggested Aaron.

"I can't." Said Daryl, defeat in his voice.

"Why?"

Daryl stiffened. It wasn't Aaron's voice he had heard. He turned around to see Marie standing next to Aaron, who was grinning like an idiot. He obviously had seen her come down.

"I heard you guys yelling. Came down to see what was going on." Said Marie.

Daryl could only nod, throat suddenly feeling too tight to speak.

"I don't want to push you into anything Daryl, and I know you know that. But I also don't want to waste what time we have. Every moment is precious, more than ever. And we need to make the most of the time we have before it turns into the time we could have had." Said Marie as she slowly walked toward him until she stood in front of him.

Daryl was unsure what to say. He was never good at voicing his emotions, not even with Marie.

"Just say what you're feeling Dar, what you're thinking. I need to know." Said Marie. She was a little nervous, but she knew Daryl would do the right thing. He always did.

"I'm terrified here Mar, I don't know what I'm doing and I feel like I'm just gonna screw this all up and just hurt you. And I don't wanna do that. You deserve better than that." Said Daryl.

"No Daryl, I don't. Even I do, I don't want better." Said Marie.

"What do you want Mar?" Daryl chances asking, scared to know but he needed to know. He watched her eyes starring back at him, watched her mouth turn up into a smile.

"I want you." Said Marie confidently.

Daryl felt like his heart would burst out of his chest. He couldn't help himself as he found himself rushing forward, his lips finding their way to hers. It was like before either. Now his kissing was passionate, needy. He pinned against the island behind her, effectively pinning her between it and him. One hand found it's way up to the side of her face, fingers tangled in her hair while the other was placed on her hip, keeping her in place and close.

Marie closed her eyes and lost herself in the moment, wrapping her arms around Daryl's waist. This was what she had been waiting for, yet she was a little nervous but she summed that up to just wanting this to be right.

At some point, they made their way from the kitchen up to their bedroom and into their bed. Daryl had managed to get his boots off at some point and Marie was now missing her shirt. She started working on the buttons of Daryl's shirt, going slow so he could stop her if he wanted but he didn't so she slipped it from his frame and it fell to the floor. She sat down on the bed, pulling Daryl with her. She laid on her back with him on top of her. She pulled him down to reclaim lips, this time slower than when they had started. She knew he would need some guidance from her as they went on but she was willing.

Daryl moved his lips down to her neck, kissing and nipping gently with his teeth making her gasp and arch into him. He moved down to her collarbone and did the same, earning the same reward. He alternated between the two and she continued to gasp, moan and arch her body against his. Her arms that had been exploring his shirtless chest and back now wrapped around him to pull him impossibly closer, her nails nipping at his skin but he didn't mind. His hands worked their way down her sides to her jeans, which he began to unbutton and unzip.

Marie groaned when she felt Daryl sever their contact, pulling back as he began to work her jeans down her legs than off her completely, tossing them to the floor. She watched him eye her hungrily and she knew the same hungry look was mirrored in her own eyes. She leaned up to reconnect their lips as she worked on his belt than the button of his own jeans, pulling down the zipper too. She worked them off his hips than made him sit with his legs over the side of the bed before pulls them down the rest of the way, sending them to join hers. She then moved to sit straddling his lap.

As Marie moved to straddle him, Daryl felt his heart rate increase. He watched her as she leaned forward and kissed him, not moving slow but not moving fast either. Then he felt an involuntary moan escape his throat when he felt her move her hips, grinding against him. She was working him up more and he was enjoying it. He felt her grind a little harder against him and he moaned into her mouth. He was enjoying the sensations she was giving him but at the same time, he didn't know how much more he could take.

Marie moved from kissing his lips to his jawline, to his neck and then to his collarbone just like he had done to her. She kissed, licked and nipped as she continued grinding her hips against his, rewarded with his moans that he couldn't hold back as he gripped her hips. She then gave his collarbone a gentle bite and she knew that was it.

When Marie bit him, all his resolve was gone as he flipped her onto her back, shedding them of their remaining clothing and entered her, being careful to be as gentle as he could. No matter how much he wanted this, he still managed to keep himself in check to make sure he didn't hurt her.

"Oh Daryl..." Marie couldn't help but moan at the feeling of his best friend and now the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with buried inside her. It felt so good, so right, so perfect.

Once he was sure she was ready, Daryl began to move. He kept his movements slow, wanting to take his time and enjoy every moment. This was their first time and he wanted to last as long as possible, wanting to make sure that they both enjoyed this to the fullest. And listening to Marie's breathy moans only encouraged him further.


	17. Chapter 17: Nowhere I'd Rather Be

Marie woke up to the feeling of being wrapped in an amazing warmth. She opened her eyes and looked over to see Daryl asleep behind her, flush against her body with arms around her waist. He looked so handsome and peaceful, and last night flashed back to her mind, making her smile. She felt like she could get used to waking up like this.

As though he sensed that she was awake, Daryl moved slightly behind her, groaning slightly before opening his eyes to see the woman wrapped in his arms looking over her shoulder at him with a smile.

"Good morning." Said Marie happily.

"Hey." Said Daryl, his arms slowly sliding from around her. He wasn't used to this, waking up to next to someone like he was Marie. He'd never been one for any kind of relationship, minus the friendship he had had with Marie growing up but that was mostly due in part to her stubbornness, not willing to give up on him no matter how he pushed her.

"You okay?" Asked Marie as she rolled on to her side to face him, noting the way he was pulling back some.

Daryl didn't answer, only avoided eye contact, looking like a child who thought he had done something wrong and was going to be in trouble.

"Daryl, if whatever you're thinking has anything to do with last night, I want you to know that last night was amazing." Said Marie in an attempt to make him feel more confident. She knew that this was all new for him and would take him time to adjust and get used to.

"It was?" He asked, seeming a bit surprised.

"Of course! Any time I get to spend with you is amazing but last night, yeah you kind of took me by surprise yet I think it's something we both needed." Said Marie.

Her answer seemed to put Daryl more at ease because his expression took on a more calm look.

"So what'd Rick need you for?" Asked Marie, curious.

"He wants me to escort Kyle away from here, as far away as possible." Said Daryl.

Marie's expression fell a little at this.

"You're going alone?" She asked.

"Abraham and Aaron volunteered to tag along, talked to Abraham on my way back and Aaron last night while you were asleep." Said Daryl.

Marie nodded against her pillow. She felt better that Daryl wouldn't be alone but at the same time, she didn't like the idea of the three of them putting themselves at risk because she made a mistake.

"Hey." Spoke Daryl gently, getting her attention. "It's gonna be fine. We're gonna make sure the route we take is confusing as hell so he can't find his way back, he'll be tied up and blindfolded, and Aaron will be driving so Abraham and I will be watching him. We're gonna play it safe."

"Even if you play it safe, something could still go wrong. This shouldn't have to be your responsibility. I'm the one who caused this, who got us in this mess." Said Marie.

"Stop. It's not your fault and ain't no way in hell I'm letting you anywhere near him after what he did. This is all on him, not you." Said Daryl.

"Still, I should have listened to you." Said Marie.

"Psst you never have before, why start now." Said Daryl.

"Very true." Said Marie with a smirk.

Just then, there was a knock on their bedroom door.

"Marie, you awake?" Asked Cassie.

"What do you want Cas?" Asked Marie, slightly disappointed at the unwanted interruption.

"Get outta bed. I need to talk to you about something, it's important." Said Cassie.

"Fine, be down in a minute." Said Marie, sighing in frustration.

They heard the sound of Cassie's footsteps walking away from their door and going downstairs.

Marie turned back to the man lying in bed with her.

"And here I thought we might actually get to lay in bed all day." She said.

Daryl snorted a laugh as he watched Marie slowly and reluctantly get out of bed and begin to get dressed.

"I'll go see wat my wonderful sister wants, and it better be good or I'm gonna beat her." Said Marie, heading out of the bedroom.

Daryl couldn't help but smile. After she was gone, he felt lonely even though he knew she was just downstairs and would be back up when she was done talking to Cassie. He had always cared about Marie, she was his best friend after all. Now however, it seemed to be more than that. His arm hammered in his chest whenever she was near. He hated her not being by his side, hated when he didn't know where she was.

As he waited for the woman he had just become incredibility intimate with last night, Daryl felt his mind wonder, memories of years gone by playing in his head.

 ** _Flashback_**

 _"I don't wanna see you hanging anywhere near that boy anymore young lady."_

 _"Why? You used to like him dad!"_

 _"That was before he became as bad as his worthless brother! Before I found out about him dropping out of school to help his brother deal drugs! Hell he probably doing them with his brother too."_

 _"Daryl's not like that dad!"_

 _"I don't care Marie, you stay away from him!"_

 _"He's my friend dad! I'm not gonna turn my back on him!" Yelled Marie, trying to reason with her dad._

 _"Yes you are! He'd do the same to you if he got the chance!" Yelled Mr. Simms._

 _"Daryl would never do that, he cares about me!" Cried Marie. She was hurt that her dad would insinuate such a thing. She knew Daryl better than anyone._

 _"Don't be stupid, he's got you freaking brainwashed!" Mr. Simms yelled at his daughter, frustrated._

 _"John, stop. That's enough, that boy has never given any reason to think he would hurt her." Mrs. Simms tried to intervene for her daughter._

 _"Stay outta this Arlene! I'm just doing what is best. That boy has trouble written all over him just like his brother and his old man!" Said Mr. Simms._

 _That was the final straw. Comparing Daryl to his brother was one thing, but comparing him to his father went over the line. Marie turned and bolted for the front door, hurrying out as fast as her legs would carry her._

 _As if on que, a familiar truck was pulling up the driveway with two occupants, one driving and the other riding shotgun. She ran for the passenger side, the tears escaping her eyes despite how hard she tried to force them away. The truck stopped a few feet away and the passenger door opened, Daryl poking his head out._

 _"Mar? What's wrong? The hell's going on?" He asked, concern etched on his features._

 _"Let's just go, I need to get outta here now." Said Marie as she climbed in the passenger seat next to her best friend._

 _"Who or what has got you all upset Sunshine?" Asked Merle, concerned for her as well._

 _"Just go, please!" Said Marie, a little louder and meaner than she intended._

 _No one else asked questions as Merle reversed the truck and turned around, driving away from Marie's house._

 _"It's your dad, isn't it?" Asked Daryl._

 _Marie nodded her head._

 _"He was angry when I got up this morning, but everything seemed fine 'til a little while ago. Mom asked me what I was gonna do today and when I told her, he just went nuts. He said some awful things about you." She hesitated. "He doesn't want me around you anymore."_

 _"He's just being an asshole. He should know by now that Dar would never hurt you and he would never let anything happen to you." Said Merle._

 _"I tried to tell him, he wouldn't listen." Said Marie._

 _"Is that what you want? Do you want me to stay away from you?" Asked Daryl, curious._

 _Marie looked at Daryl, shocked that he would even ask her that._

 _"Of course not! You're my best friend and like I told my dad, I would never turn my back on you." She told him._

 _Daryl nodded. He already knew the answer but he still needed to be sure. She was, after all, the only girl that he truly cared about and trusted. He would trust her with his life._

 _By the look on Marie's face, she had figured out why he had asked. He still had doubts surface once in a while but he couldn't help that, he would always have trust issues with everyone including her courtesy of his father. He would always be grateful at how understanding she was._

 _"So Sunshine, Darleena, where we going?" Asked Merle._

 _Daryl looked at Marie and she looked at him. They hadn't really planned a destination when they had made plans for the weekend._

 _"Lake house? Ain't been there in a while." Said Daryl._

 _"Right now, I don't care where we go as long as it's not home." Said Marie._

 _"I know a place we can go." Said Merle._

 _"No Merle, I don't wanna stay in no trashy dump either." Said Marie. She knew Merle had his habits and not many of the places he stayed were very hospitable._

 _"Hey, this ain't no trashy dump sweetheart. Come on, trust ole Merle, he knows our little ray of Sunshine deserves better luxury than a dump." Said Merle._

 _"Fine, but if it is a dump, I'm kicking your ass." Said Marie._

 _"Yes little ray of Sunshine." Said Merle._

 _"You know I hate when you start calling me that." Said Marie, groaning._

 _"But it's true, you're our little ray of sunshine. Ain't she Darleena?" Merle asked his little brother._

 _Daryl just kind of lowered his head and kept himself from looking at his best friend._

 _"Aww I think I embarrassed my little brother. You always did act like such a girl." Said Merle._

 _"Shut up Merle." Said Daryl with a low threatening growl._

 _"Come on baby brother, just trying to make a man outta ya." Said Merle._

 _"That's enough Merle, don't need both of us in a bad mood do ya?" Asked Marie._

 _"Aww, you're little girlfriend is coming to your defense baby bro, again! Pretty bad you have to have her stick up for ya, but I'm gonna let it go 'cause she does have a fair point. Besides, we'll be at our destination in no time flat y'all." Said Merle._

 _Marie couldn't help but smile at Merle. She knew he was only teasing, that he meant no harm and only did it to rile Daryl up._

 _The rest of the drive was in relative silence. They drove for what felt like hours before Merle pulled onto a dirt road that ended up leading them to a cabin surrounded by trees._

 _"Uncle Jessie's cabin?" Asked Daryl._

 _"Yeah, it's somewhere we can all get away, stay outta trouble and not be found until we wanna be found. Plus, it's not a dump so it'll please little Miss Sunshine here." Said Merle._

 _"This is actually really great Merle. You actually did a good job for once." Said Marie, teasing him back._

 _Merle just gave her a sarcastic grin, parking and shutting off the truck than the three of them of them climbed out and went inside._

 _"Hopefully Uncle Jess at least left some booze." Said Merle, heading into the kitchen to search._

 _"Can you not go one day without being drunk or high?" Asked Marie._

 _"Yeah, I think you already know that answer Sunshine. Besides, you and Daryl need to loosen up and just take each other's virginity already." Said Merle from the kitchen._

 _Both Marie and Daryl froze where they stood, glanced at each other than looked away quickly, blushing._

 _Merle walked back in with a couple bottles of whiskey in his hands._

 _"One for me, and one for y'all. Now get drinking than go give each other a good time." He said, thrusting the bottle into Daryl's chest than he went into the back with his bottle_.

Daryl came back to the present when he heard the bedroom open as Marie walked back in and closed it behind her, walking back toward the bed.

"So what'd your sister want?" He asked her.

"She wants us to go do some hunting. She's planning something but she said that she couldn't tell us what exactly because it's a surprise." Said Marie, laying on her side on the bed next to Daryl, curling up next to him, her hand laying his chest playing with hair she found there. She noticed he grew a bit uncomfortable so she went to move back some to give him space but his arm wrapping around her back and pulling her back to him stopped her from doing so. She smiled. "So, feel like doing some hunting?"

"Thought you wanted to stay in bed all day? I mean, I am still laying here naked as the day I was born." Said Daryl, his hand rubbing up and down her arm.

"Yes, and you look absolutely lovely." Said Marie, leaning down and kissing him lightly on the lips. She remained there for several moments before pulling back.

For a minute, Daryl felt like the breath had been stolen from him, his eyes still closed. It took him a few minutes to remember how to breathe and slowly he opened his eyes.

Marie smiled broadly at the effect she had on Daryl, proud of herself.

"Sorry, didn't mean to take your breath away." She told him.

"Don't be, it felt good." Said Daryl.

"Would you like me to kiss you again?" Asked Marie.

"Please." Said Daryl, his tone almost pleading, begging her to do so.

Marie leaned down once again, pressing her lips back to his and they slowly began moving their lips together as one, creating a dance with their mouths. She couldn't get enough of the taste of him, the feel of his lips on hers. He was intoxicating.

Daryl's hand came to hold the back of her head, keeping her in place while his other hand held the hand resting on his chest. He then felt her hand leave his and begin to snake it's way downward.

Marie's hand wrapped around Daryl's slightly hard cock, slowly starting to stroke it and working him up. She heard him take a sharp intake of breath while still kissing her before moaning into her mouth. She broke the kiss for a minute.

"That feel good Dar? Or would you like me to stop?" Asked Marie, smiling as she kept moving her hand.

"Hell no, don't you dare." Growled Daryl, moaning when Marie gave him a gentle squeeze. "Shit Mar, feels so damn good."

"That's right baby, I wanna make you feel so good." Said Marie seductively. She then started kissing on his neck, slowly making her way down. She moved down to his collarbone, giving it a little nip too. She made her way down her chest, kissing and biting his nipples, causing his back to to arch up off the bed and moan more.

"Mar...don't stop." Breathed Daryl.

"Didn't plan on it." Said Marie before turning back to her task. She kissed her way further back, kissing down his stomach than when she reach his hips, she planted a few nips here and there, making his hips buck. She then moved to her goal. She gave the head a lick as a tease, hearing him inhale sharply. She repeated the action before taking the head in her mouth.

Daryl gasped as Marie took him in her mouth, his head thrown back. He couldn't describe how good it felt. He had never been with a woman like Marie.

Marie moved her head up and down, moving along Daryl's length as she pleasured him. She licked, sucked, and used her hands now and then to work with her mouth. She knew he wouldn't last long but she didn't mind, she just wanted to make him feel good.

She could tell he was getting close when his breathing became labored and his moans became more frequent. She sped up her work and within moments, she felt him come hard. She swallowed every last drop before releasing him, climbing back up to be next to him. She gently brushed some hair out of his face as he came down from his high.

"Been quite a while since you've had someone do that huh?" She asked.

"Could say that, except they were more like ones Merle paid and forced on me. You're the only one I've ever been with like this though, like we were last night." Said Daryl once he'd caught his breath.

"You mean I'm the only one you've ever had sex with?" Asked Marie.

Daryl only nodded, suddenly a little embarrassed.

"Nothing wrong with that. You're a man but you're not a man like Merle was, which is a good thing. Besides, makes me feel special." Said Marie, grinning.

Daryl brushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear, a look in his eyes that could not be placed.

"You're the only one I could be with like this. You get me, you know me better than anyone, and you actually give a shit about me. You've never forced me to do anything I didn't want and you've been by my side more times than you probably should've been. You see me in a way no one ever has. I could never find another woman like you Mar, nor do I intend to. Don't want to. You are special, to me." He told her.

"And you're special to me Dar. No matter what you see when you look in the mirror or what anyone else sees, I know you're a good man. You don't bullshit around, you say what you mean. You've always been there for me as much as I was there for you and you've been good to me. I couldn't picture myself lying with anyone else like I am with you right now. No one else is good enough for me. I'm all yours and yours alone Mr. Dixon." Said Marie.

Daryl stared at Marie, taking in her words. His hand came up to rest on the side of her face, holding her gaze to his. His heart beat rapidly in his chest but he didn't care. He wouldn't trade this for anything in the world.

Time seemed to slow down as the two of them gazed at one another. Nothing mattered, just the two of laying together in their bed, in their bedroom in their house, their home.

"I'm glad we listened to Merle about one thing, I'm glad we lost our virginity to each other. I would've rather lose it to my best friend, who I trust more than anything, than lose to someone who would only end up hurting me." Said Marie.

"Me too. Was worth it." Daryl told her.

"As much as I'd love to stay right here in bed with you like this, we should get to hunting, before Cas starts getting impatient." Marie pointed out.

Daryl groaned, showing how unhappy he was but nevertheless, he got up and began to dress.

Marie couldn't help but grin at Daryl's back as she watched him dress. She was happy he wanted the same as she did, but she also knew how her sister could be when she didn't get her way. She got up off the bed, changing into proper clothes as well rather than the pajamas she had grabbed when Cassie had disturbed them. She could feel Daryl's eyes on her as she changed. It didn't bother her.

Once they were both dressed, they headed to get their weapons. Marie made sure she had plenty of ammo for her rifle as well as her pistol, which only carried as backup. She grabbed a silencer for her handgun as well than followed Daryl to the gate and they headed out together.


	18. Chapter 18: How It Should Be

The day came quicker than either Marie or Daryl wanted it to; the day that Daryl, Aaron and Abraham were taking Kyle as far from them as they possibly could. They hadn't even bothered to get out of bed yet, still wrapped up in each other. They wanted to hold onto each other as long as possible before Daryl had to leave and Marie was left alone.

Cassie was still hanging out with Eric alot, planning whatever it was that they were planning so that would leave Marie alone in the house, which was why she volunteered for some watch duty while the guys were gone. It would give her something else to focus her mind on.

"How long you think you're gonna be gone?" Asked Marie.

"Shouldn't be long, maybe a day or two at most." Said Daryl.

"Good. I have no doubt you know what you're doing, I just want me back in one piece, safe." Said Marie. She already knew Daryl knew of all her fears that would be prowling her mind, which was why they had gone over the route he and the guys would be taking last night, which wasn't as productive with Cassie around.

 _Marie and Cassie walked back downstairs from taking some things up to the hall closet to see Daryl, Abraham, Aaron and Eric standing around the island in the kitchen, a map laid out in front of them._

 _"Whoa, Cas, how did we get the luck of having four good looking men standing in our kitchen?" Asked Marie, being playful, walking to stand next to Daryl, smiling at him._

 _"I don't know but I'm really liking this right now." Said Cassie as she stood next to Eric._

 _"Alright ladies, down. Men at work here." Said Abraham but he was amused by their little game._

 _"Yes Commander Buzz kill. What're you doing anyway?" Asked Marie._

 _"Going over our route for tomorrow." Said Aaron._

 _Marie's mood suddenly fell. She had tried to forget about it, but she knew it wouldn't happen._

 _"Figured we'd plan out a few routes just in case we need 'em, so we have at least a few backups." Said Daryl, noticing the change in her mood._

 _"So what's your main route right now?" Asked Marie. She wanted to know, needed to know what routes they were planning out._

 _"We figured head straight out of here for a tick than turn off this road, it winds around so that could throw him off if he tries to memorize all our shit as we go." Said Abraham._

 _"And I'm guessing these two are your back ups?" Asked Marie, pointing to two of the closest routes to the one they were taking._

 _"That was the plan." Said Eric._

 _"Well, what about this one here? Seems to have more woods for cover than either of these." Said Marie, pointing out another route just a few miles from the other two._

 _"The lady is very observant, and wise." Said Abraham with a grin._

 _"Well, I learned from the best." Said Marie, putting her arms around Daryl._

 _"So when he was teaching you all these things, did he take it easy on ya with you being a girl? Or did he teach like you were one of the guys?" Asked Abraham curiously._

 _"Are you kidding? Do I seem like your normal girl to you?" Asked Marie._

 _"Not once since the day I met you." Said Abraham._

 _"Well that should answer your question then, shouldn't it?" Asked Marie._

 _"She wouldn't let him take it easy on her anyway. She wanted to learn just like everyone else." Said Cassie._

 _"Thanks Cas." Said Marie though it wasn't a sincere thanks._

 _Cassie just gave her a smug smile than headed into the living room._

 _"Wouldn't let him be a gentleman huh? How come?" Asked Eric._

 _"I hated getting treated different just 'cause I was a girl, hated getting special treatment, which was mostly due to who our dad was." Said Marie._

 _"Who was your dad?" Asked Aaron._

 _"He was a big, hot shot attorney. Traveled for a lot of his clients, which eventually became the only times Daryl was allowed in the house." Said Marie, noticing Daryl's slight unease._

 _"Whatever happened to your old man? When shit went south?" Abraham dared to ask._

 _"Don't know, don't care." Said Marie, her tone telling them that's where the conversation was ending._

 _Just then, they heard music start playing in the living room. Marie recognized the tune._

 _"Geez, really Cas?!" Marie called to her over the music._

" _Oh come on, have some fun." Said Cassie as she danced around the living room happily. Then she started singing along with the song as she continued to dance._

 _"Take me by the tongue and I'll know you, Kiss me 'til you're drunk and I'll show you all the moves like Jagger, I've got the moves like Jagger, I've got the moves like Jagger._

 _"I don't need to try to control you, Look into my eyes and I'll own you with them moves like Jagger, I've got the moves like Jagger, I've got the moves like Jagger."_

 _Marie couldn't help laugh and shaking her head at the way her sister was acting right now, proving to be a distraction._

 _"Come on Marie! Come join me!" Said Cassie, trying to wave her over._

 _"No, I think I'll pass." Said Marie._

 _"Oh come on, don't be such a spoil sport." Said Cassie._

 _"Yeah, come on. I wanna see your moves, and hear you sing again." Said Eric, joining in on Cassie's pleading._

 _Marie looked over at Daryl imploringly._

 _"Help me out here." She said._

 _"Nah, besides she's right, you should have some fun." Said Daryl._

 _"Oh thanks for your help." Said Marie, giving him a playful shove._

 _"Come on Marie, let's see what you got. Kinda curious myself." Said Aaron, making Eric and Abraham join in agreement._

 _"Alright, fine. I'll get y'all for this later though." Said Marie, getting up and joining her sister._

 _" You want to know how to make me smile, Take control, own me just for the night, But if I share my secret you're gonna have to keep it, Nobody else can see this._

 _"So watch and learn I won't show you twice, Head to toe, ooh baby, rub me right, But if I share my secret you're gonna have to keep it, Nobody else can see this._

 _"And it goes like this;_

 _"Take me by the tongue and I'll know you, Kiss me 'til you're drunk and I'll show you all the moves like Jagger, I've got the moves like Jagger, I've got the moves like Jagger._

 _"I don't need to try to control you, Look into my eyes and I'll own you with them moves like Jagger, I've got the moves like Jagger, I've got the moves like Jagger."_

Marie still couldn't believe she had let her sister and friends talk her into that, but she had to admit that it was fun to let lose for a bit. Once they had been able to get everyone out, Marie and Daryl went up to their bedroom and had some private time. Marie may not have been in a relationship since Kyle, none before him and Daryl may never been in one until now, but you wouldn't know by the way the two of them acted together. It was like they had been in an intimate relationship for years. Having such a good friendship all these years probably helped out with that.

"Almost wish that you would let me come with you guys." said Marie.

"I told you, I'm not letting that guy anywhere near you and that includes you going near him. You're better off keeping your distance." said Daryl, his protective mode kicking in.

"I know, I just don't know what I'm going to do with myself without you for so long." said Marie with a smile on her face.

"I'm sure you'll figure something out." said Daryl.

"I did volunteer for some guard duty shifts, hopefully that'll keep me busy enough. I know better than to do any hunting while you're gone." said Marie.

"Damn straight. I don't want you outside those gates while I'm gone. I don't need to be worrying about you when I need to be focused out there." said Daryl.

"I know. You always worry about me though, even when you're with me." said Marie.

"I don't know how you've ever managed without me." said Daryl as a joke.

"Hey, same could be said for you too mister." said Marie, playing right back.

"Yeah but I learned from an early age how to take of myself, even if I didn't want to." said Daryl, the mood suddenly turning somber.

"Well, at least you had me there when you needed me. And you did teach me what you knew. We take care of each other, even when we're not together." said Marie, trying to lighten things back up.

"True, but if I hear of you leaving those gates while I'm gone, I'll make you regret it." said Daryl.

"Oh really? And how exactly would you do that Mr. Dixon?" asked Marie, moving so she laying on her stomach, staring down at him.

"Wouldn't be any fun if I told you." said Daryl.

"Fair point." said Marie, her fingers moving lightly around his chest. She couldn't help it as she stared into his eyes. There was just something about them that made her enjoy really looking into them, like maybe she was seeing into his soul or something.

"What?" asked Daryl as she stared.

"Nothing, just can't help admiring your eyes. They're beautiful." said Marie, brushing a stray hair out of his face.

"Stop. Ain't nothin' beautiful about me." said Daryl, moving his head to look away but he felt Marie's hand stop him from doing so.

"I don't wanna ever hear you say that again Daryl Dixon. I don't care what anyone has ever told you and that includes your dad. Everything about you is beautiful. If not then I wouldn't be here with you right now." said Marie, hurt that he would say such a thing about himself but she knew and understood why he would.

"I didn't mean to upset you." said Daryl apologetically.

"You grew up around that bullshit, I know you can't always help it. It just hurts me to hear you say things like that. I see you for more than anyone ever has, for who you really are Dar. What more do I have to do or say to prove that to you?" asked Marie.

"I could think of a few things you could do." said Daryl with a mischievous look in his eyes, wanting to change the subject quickly.

Marie couldn't help the smile that crossed her face as she looked down at the man laying next to her, the way she was looking at him for the way he was looking at her right now. Nothing mattered more in that moment. Time seemed to freeze for just the two of them, to allow them to enjoy this time. And she was going to enjoy every single moment. She leaned down until her lips found his, closing her eyes and enjoying the sensations it brought her. She placed one of her legs over his thighs, straddling his waist and she felt him coming to life beneath her. She couldn't help but feel glad that they were both already naked.

Daryl could not help the way that Marie was making him feel right now. The way that she felt under his touch, the way she felt against his skin, the way she was kissing him, hell the way that she had been looking had him had him going crazy. He had never had a woman who made him feel the way that Marie did, that made him feel the way that he felt whenever they were together. He wasn't even sure how to describe it if he could. It was just different. She was different. He liked it though even though it was scary to him at the same time. It only made him crave more.

Marie broke the kiss, much to Daryl's disappointment that was evident in the groan he let out, and his groan quickly turned into a moan as she lowered herself down onto him. She was unable to hold back her own moan as he slid into her. Nothing had ever felt so right to her. It was like they were made for each other, their bodies fitting together right.

Daryl held onto Marie's hips as she began to move, riding him at a slow and steady pace. He didn't mind, he enjoyed that they were keeping things at this pace right now. He didn't want anything to be rushed, including their intimacy. He had never felt anything like this before, the way that Marie made him feel in their moments together. To him, this was how it was supposed to be. This was how it was supposed to feel. Not how Merle made it sound when he would brag about the women he had been with and how he told him it should feel. No, to Daryl the things that Marie was doing and creating with him was how it was meant to be and feel. It was meant to leave you with special feelings, things that you were not supposed to feel with anyone else.

As she looked down at Daryl looking up at her, Marie could see something going on in his mind. She could tell that there were things running through his head as he looked up at her the way he was, with his mouth slightly open and his breathy moans as she moved her hips against his. She couldn't help but to wonder if he was thinking the same things as she was. She had only been with one other man before Daryl and nothing with him ever felt like this. Being intimate with Kyle never felt like this, he was too controlling, too rough, too fast. With Daryl, they both were able to enjoy each moment and there was no rush or need to go fast. In every aspect of this new relationship they had, they were able to enjoy every single moment with each other, making sure they were both comfortable. And Marie never felt the way she felt that she did with Daryl any moment she was near him or even when she wasn't. The way she felt when she looked at him, touched him, kissed him, or just stood by him. He made her feel special, like no man ever had. This was how these kind of relationships should be, how they were meant to be and meant to be felt.

"Oh Daryl, mm mm you feel so good." Marie couldn't help moan out.

"Damn, Marie, don't stop." whispered Daryl through his heavy breathing and moans.

"You like this don't you Dar?" asked Marie seductively.

"Oh yeah, feels great." said Daryl, gripping her hips a little tighter. He could feel himself drawing close but he didn't want to go that far yet. He wanted to do it with her.

"You getting close aren't you?" asked Marie as she continued her movements. She knew him too well, could read him as well as an open book.

"Yeah." said Daryl, finding it becoming harder to form coherent thoughts.

"Let go then, let go for me." coached Marie. She wanted to watch him, feel him come undone.

"No. With you, wanna do it with you." said Daryl, forcing his brain to try and form complete sentences.

"Don't worry Dar, I'm with you. Oh yeah, I'm with you." said Marie, feeling herself so close to the edge and ready to come undone as well.

Daryl moved his hips with hers, meeting each of her movements. He wanted to make sure that they did this together, wanted to make sure that he left her as fulfilled as she made him. When he felt Marie's hips move a little faster, he knew that she was almost there and he matched her. A few more moments and he felt himself come undone, her right along with him, her name on his lips and his name on hers as they rode out their high.

Marie waited for her body come down from the high she just soared to with Daryl, catching her breath before she moved to retake her spot on the bed next to him, her head on his chest listening to his rapid heartbeat and heavy breathing.

"Wow." was all she could think to say at the moment, her mind too foggy.

"Yeah." said Daryl in agreement, his mind in a haze as well.

As they lay once again wrapped in each other, they enjoyed the silence as they lay there together. They didn't need to say anything, no words needed to be exchanged. They almost always seemed to know what the other was thinking. They had silent ways of communicating, which tended to freak other people out but they didn't care.

Right then, there came a knock at the front door. They heard footsteps move through the kitchen and then the sound of the front door opening.

"Daryl, Marie! Abraham and Aaron are here!" They heard Cassie yell up.

Marie groaned, knowing why they were there. She was hoping for a little more time but she also knew that they needed to get going while there was still enough daylight left.

Daryl couldn't help but to laugh when he heard Marie groan in dissatisfaction.

"I wish you didn't have to go." Marie told him as she let him get up to get dressed.

"I know, but Rick doesn't trust anyone else to get it done, or to do what needs to be done if it comes down to it." said Daryl as he pulled his pants on than buttoned and zipped them.

"Yeah, I get it. I just wish it didn't have to be you. You don't need to have his blood on your hands." said Marie. She grabbed her underwear, pulling it on than pulled on her tank top.

"It may not even come to that, which is why I'm not going alone. But I'm not gonna let him hurt you anymore than he already has either." said Daryl as he was buttoning his shirt.

"I have always enjoyed how protective you get over me." said Marie in silvery voice, walking over and wrapping her arms loosely around his waist, smiling up at him.

"Can't help it, you're the only one I've ever felt the need to protect. You're the only one that's truly cared about me and been a true friend, not judging me or seeing me as a piece of shit like everyone else. You've been too good to me all these years." said Daryl honestly.

"Yes, well, that's 'cause I know a big, strong man when I see one." said Marie with a wink.

"Is that so Miss Simms?" asked Daryl. It actually made him feel good to hear her say that.

"Oh yes Mr. Dixon. And you are a big, strong man." said Marie before leaning up to place her lips against his.

Daryl kept his lips against hers, pulling her body against his own to keep her in place for a few minutes while he still could.

Marie slowly pulled away once Daryl allowed her to.

"You keep kissing me like that and I just may not leave." said Daryl.

"Maybe that's the idea." said Marie gleefully, even though he wouldn't risk disappointing Rick or allowing Kyle to stay one second longer than he could help. She grabbed her pants, putting them on than grabbing her button up shirt, she followed Daryl down the stairs so that she could see him and their friends off.

"You two finally done sucking faces?" asked Abraham teasingly.

"Bite me Major Jackass." said Marie playfully.

"Anyway, we got everything loaded up and ready to go, minus one little thing. Or should I say someone. Spencer and Michonne are getting him for us." said Aaron.

"Gonna be glad once this little nut-bag is out of our hair for good. Think we all will be." said Abraham.

"No one will be more happy than me. I must've been crazy to bring him here." said Marie.

"You made a mistake, it could have been any one of us. Hell, if it had been sooner and I would've found him before I found you guys, I would've brought him back too." said Aaron, trying his shot at making Marie feel better.

"I guess. I just hate that you guys are the ones that have to do this. Doesn't feel right." said Marie.

"Don't worry darling, we'll be back in two shakes of a bulls ass." said Abraham.

"Gee, thanks for that mental picture Abraham." said Cassie.

Marie couldn't help but smile watching her sister and Abraham interacting.

"Come on sis, let's see our boys off." She told her. She hated saying goodbye to anyone, even if it was temporary, especially these days because you never know what was going to happen.

Abraham and Aaron led the way out with Daryl, Marie and Cassie following. They all headed toward the van that was parked in front of the gate, ready to go. They could see Spencer and Michonne putting Kyle in the back, a blindfold over his eyes. Marie couldn't help the feeling of her nerves getting worked up at seeing him. She then felt a hand take hold of hers and could tell by the feel that it was Daryl's hand. She gave it a quick, gentle squeeze and forced her nerves to calm. She had no reason to worry. If Kyle did try anything, it was 3 on 1. He wouldn't stand a chance.

As the little group stopped next to the van, Abraham went to hop in while Marie and Cassie said their farewells to Daryl and Aaron. Marie gave Aaron a hug first than Cassie before he went to get in the driver seat. Cassie moved to give Daryl and Marie a moment alone, giving him a quick smile.

"Just be careful out there. A lot of dangers out there." said Marie.

"Nothing I can't handle." said Daryl.

"That's right, you're a big, strong man." said Marie with a grin.

"Don't worry, we'll be back before you know it." said Daryl.

"I know. Just wanna make sure you know how much I'll miss you while you're gone." said Marie.

"Hey, what the hell? What, no love for your other guys?" asked Abraham, pretending to be hurt.

"I'll miss you too Abraham." said Marie.

"What about me?" asked Aaron, sticking his head out the driver window.

"Especially you too Aaron." Marie told him.

"Don't worry honey, we'll take good care of your man and make sure he comes back to ya." said Abraham.

"I want you to take of each other, want you all to come back safe." said Marie.

"Hey, everything's gonna be fine." said Daryl.

Marie just nodded. She gave him a quick hug since he still wasn't ready for any public kissing or things like that. Hugging him was something she had always done so he didn't mind that. She didn't want to do anything he wasn't ready for yet. She watched him climb into the van, casting her one last look before Aaron drove the van out of the gate and down the road.

Watching the van drive away from Alexandria, Marie suddenly felt like there was a void inside of her. It felt like a piece of her was missing. She didn't want to get worked up though, she knew that as long as she kept herself as busy as possible, time would pass quickly and the guys would be back in no time. She looked back to see that Cassie, Michonne and Spencer had already walked off, leaving her standing alone. She sighed than went to find something to keep her mind occupied until it was time for her turn on guard duty. It was with Glenn so at least she would have someone that she could talk to and who might be able to distract her for a while.


	19. Chapter 19: Don't Forget About Us

Chapter 19: Don't Forget About Us

Daryl hated doing this. He hated leaving Marie behind. He had always felt better when he went hunting and he had her by his side. He knew he had someone there who would actually watch his back, even though back then you didn't have to worry about it as much as you do now. He knew that she was as keen as he was when it came to listening and looking for signs of any possible danger. Plus she could track and shoot just as good as he could, which made her a valuable asset. He didn't trust many people to watch his back these days, and she would always be at the top of the list when it came to those that he did.

The ride in the van was mostly silent. Aaron had music on but he kept it low, just enough volume that they could hear it but not high enough where they couldn't hear anything else. Abraham sat in the back with Kyle, Daryl in the passenger seat next to Aaron, watching the road ahead and to the sides for any potential dangers. He really wished that he had Marie's eyes to help, he wouldn't have to watch both sides of the road plus what was in front of them. Every now and then he would also have to glance at the map to make sure they stayed on track, but he had every confidence in Aaron's driving abilities. Aaron knew the area fairly well from the days of him going out looking for any other survivors to bring back to Alexandria. He would after all have to travel for days or even weeks, which was part of why Daryl had agreed to be his new partner and asked Marie to do the same.

At least with Marie staying back in Alexandria, he knew without a doubt that she would be safe. She would also be there just in case something did happen and she would not only be there to protect to her sister but to help protect everyone else as well and defend the community, their home. They had just gotten all the bodies cleared and the walls built back up, they didn't need any backfire right now. They had all already lost enough.

Daryl reached into the inside pocket of his vest for his smokes, but his fingers ended up brushing against something else. He took hold of it and pulled it out. When he looked at what it was, he couldn't help but to smile and let out a small laugh.

"What in Sam Hell is so funny?" asked Abraham, curious.

Daryl held up what it was that he had pulled from his pocket. It was a picture of him, Marie, Cassie and Merle from one of their summers at the lake house together. They were all in their swim clothes, standing on the dock by the lake. They were all smiling, Merle of course flipping the bird at the photographer. Marie had her arms wrapped around Daryl's waist and he had an arm dropped around her shoulders, Cassie on Marie's other side. They were happy.

"Looks like she wrote something on the back." said Aaron.

Daryl flipped the photograph over, seeing a single small sentence written on the back of it in her handwriting. What she had written had the desired effect. She wrote:

 _'Don't forget about us Mr. Dixon. XOXOXO.'_

Daryl couldn't help the way that made him feel. His heart skipped a beat and he felt like his stomach did a flip. He had never had anyone have this kind of effect on him before and in some ways, he enjoyed the way she made him feel and in other ways, it terrified him. He was letting himself get far too close to another human being, to a woman, and if something bad were to ever happen to her he didn't know if he could live after that. At the same time though, he couldn't stand to be away from her for even a second. He felt like he was in physical pain every time he had to be away from her. She was the most important person in his world and he never wanted to have to live without her.

After the long silence, Daryl could feel his friends' eyes on him. He looked at them and indeed they were watching him.

"That woman is gonna be the death of me." He finally said.

"Nah, that woman loves you man. That woman would also do damn near anything for you just to be with you. You need to open your eyes and see that." said Abraham.

"He's right, everyone can see by the way that she looks at you. Hell, you look at her the same way. I also know that you two have probably never said aloud how you feel about each other." said Aaron.

"I'm not sure I would even be able to, not sure I'd know how or even what I would say." said Daryl. He wasn't exactly comfortable talking about this with these guys but he also knew that they wouldn't drop it either.

"How about just starting with, "Marie, I love you" or even "Marie, I really care about you a lot" if you're not comfortable with the "L" word yet." said Aaron with a smile.

"I don't know man. I'm not even sure she feels the same way as me. Although this morning, I swear the way she was looking at me, she was feeling the same things as I was. It was almost like we were both thinking the same things at the exact same time, feeling the same things. Or maybe I was just imagining it, I don't know." said Daryl.

"I don't think so, sounds like you guys are both on the same page. And I'm willing to bet that you have both been feeling this way for years now, just too afraid to admit them and risk your friendship." suggested Aaron.

Daryl had nothing to say to that. Now that he thought about it, he remembered certain looks that he would catch Marie giving him but she'd quickly look away when he saw her. And he would catch himself casting similar looks to her, he was just better at hiding it than she was. The way that she made him feel now, it was similar to what he felt back then but it had been amplified over the years and it was now stronger than before. He wasn't entirely certain what it was that he felt though. Maybe it was what Aaron had suggested, maybe it wasn't. He didn't know, but he also wanted to find out. If it meant being with Marie the way that he wanted, he just had to find out. And in order to do that, they had to finish what they had set out to do, get rid of Kyle than head home so that he could get Marie alone and find out how she felt about him so he could tell her how he felt.

"You know Daryl, if I were you, when we get done with this mission of disposing of this piece of inbred vermin, you need to tell or show that young lady how you truly feel about her or else she's gonna end up being madder than a wet hen. At least give her a nice candlelit dinner or something, do something more than just giving the big "d"." said Abraham.

All of them couldn't help busting out laughing in Abraham's reference to Daryl's equipment. It actually felt good to have a good laugh, they didn't get many of these chances nowadays. They spent more of their time either dealing with the dead, dealing with the living, or scrounging for supplies. It was good to be able to joke and share a few laughs now and then. It was always good to be able to relax a little whenever the chance arose and do what you should be able to do, have fun with the people you care about and enjoy yourself.

Daryl looked down at the map again once they had all been able to get their laughing under control. It was a good thing that the roads were deserted anymore.

"Looks like this is our turn off up here. We'll drive for a few more hours than find somewhere to make camp for the night, cover more ground tomorrow at first light." He told the guys.

"Don't need to tickle my fancy." said Abraham.

"There should be a cabin not too far off, I've passed it before when I was out looking for people with Eric. We'll be able to make it there before dark." said Aaron.

"Alright, sounds perfect." said Daryl, placing the photo Marie had slipped in his pocket on the console between him and Aaron, making sure it would stay put.

The light was beginning to fade as Aaron drove. They had pulled off on their road and made it through the twists and turns with no trouble. It wasn't long before they were in front of the cabin that Aaron had told them about. They unloaded their supplies first than Kyle, locking him in a back room with just a little bit of food and water. They didn't want to waste more than they had to on him. Abraham boarded the window to Kyle's room from the outside so he couldn't get out it. Daryl lit a fire in the fireplace while Aaron unloaded some food for them and water.

Aaron and Daryl heard Abraham come back in the back door from boarding up some other windows for security measures and could hear him rifling through cupboards and cabinets in the kitchen, obviously looking for something. The two of them looked at each other, shared a grin and shook their heads than turned back to what they were doing. That is until they heard Abraham give a triumphant shout before hearing his footsteps coming their way. He walked into the living-room holding a full bottle of whiskey.

"Victory gentlemen!" He said with a happy grin.

"I'm not much of a whiskey drinker." said Aaron.

"Ah horse shit, you are tonight. A little never hurt anyone." said Abraham as he sat down on the sofa, unscrewing the top.

Daryl wasn't sure he wanted to participate. The last time he had drank any kind of alcohol was when he and Beth had been at the moonshine trailer and he had been a real dick to her. That was a different time though too. They had just lost the prison and everyone got separated. He thought he'd lost everyone and was stuck with it just being him and Beth. He had been in a bad place until she had somehow broke him out of it. He watched Abraham open the bottom, take a drink and then when he passed it to him, he took it and took a drink. Might as well loose up a little.

The night went on with the three men passing around the bottle of whiskey, not aiming to get drunk but to loosen themselves up for a while and feel relaxed. Daryl stoked the fire now and then to keep it going before returning to his spot on the other sofa with Aaron. The talked a little here and there about different things, but refrained from getting too personal. They were just a few guys enjoying their night before they had to get moving again in the morning.

Daryl couldn't help but allowing his mind to wonder back to Alexandria and wonder what Marie was doing right now as she waited for him to come home.

* * *

Marie stood on the platform looking out over the wall of Alexandria, standing on watch with Glenn below her at the gate. They had done some chatting here and there, mostly her voicing her worries about Daryl being out there when Glenn had noticed something bothering her and asked her about it. She was glad she could confide in him like she could also confide in Aaron. It was good to have both of them to be able to go to when she needed. They were like the brothers she had always wanted but never got to have until now. He had actually helped ease her nerves some just by talking to her and she was able to focus more on keeping watch. She didn't mind staying up late, she was actually used to it and also knew that she could make it up once Daryl, Aaron and Abraham were back.

Her eyes scanned the darkness, searching for any signs of a threat but found none, which was a relief. She liked it when they didn't have to worry about anyone or anything coming after them but she also knew that they weren't completely safe either after what she, Daryl, Sasha and Abraham had encountered on the road. There were people out there waiting for them, wanting them dead and wanting what they had. She also knew that she and her friends would do whatever it took to protect everyone there and defend their home. They weren't going to let anyone take this place from them, not without a damn good fight.

Marie found her eyes wondering up to the night sky and starring up at the stars, her mind curious if Daryl was doing the same wherever he was right now. She missed him and she was hoping that he was missing her too. No, she knew he was. He didn't like being away from her anymore than she liked being away from him. And the way that he had been looking at her that morning, she knew without a doubt that he had feelings for her. It was just a question of if he would ever admit those feelings to her out loud. She wasn't going to force him to though. That wouldn't help anyone. She would just have to be patient and wait for him to be ready.

Just then, she heard footsteps coming up the stairs and turned to see Glenn had left his spot at the gate to pay her a visit.

"Hey, sorry, didn't mean to interrupt your thinking process. Thought you might be hungry, I brought some jerky." said Glenn, pulling it out of his jacket pocket.

"Come to think of it, I am a little hungry. Who would've thought guard duty could work up an appetite." said Marie jokingly as she took some of the jerky from him.

"Yeah, standing around just starring at nothing seems to do that." said Glenn, joking right back. "So you still missing Daryl?"

"Yeah, but I'm not as worried anymore. I know he can take care of himself and if anything does happen, he can handle things, especially since he has Abe and Aaron with him for back up. I know they'll be back safe though. They're smart, they know what they're doing." said Marie.

"That they do, but especially Daryl. He's never let us down before. He's been there at times to save our asses, mine especially. There was this one time, Maggie and I had been taken hostage. He, Rick and a couple others came looking for us. This was when we first met Michonne. She led them to us. Anyway, it was in this town called Woodbury run by this guy called himself the Governor. They found out they were there and started shooting at us. Daryl stayed behind to buy time for Rick and them to get me and Maggie out. He got caught and was forced to fight to the death. Thing is, he was forced to fight his own brother. Rick and Maggie went back for him and got him out, and Merle.

"He may have tried to be a hard ass when we first met, but he earned his place with us and became part of the family. I don't think we'd have gotten as far as we have without him. This group wouldn't be the same without him either, even if we don't always see eye to eye on certain things. He's always been very loyal and even stepped up when Rick lost Lori and needed his time to grieve. He took charge and did what needed to be done. He's a good man." said Glenn.

Marie was kind of surprised to hear this. Daryl had told her about Woodbury, the Governor and how they had found Merle there but he had never mentioned any of what Glenn had told her. Apparently Rick and his group had been through more than she had figured, yet here they were still together even though they had lost some along the way. They were more than just a group of friends. They really were a family, with a bond stronger than anything that she had ever seen before. Now she really understood why Daryl had stuck with these people for so long. She saw it with her own eyes. She saw how deep of a bond they shared and how loyal they were to each other. It reminded her of what she and Daryl had all these years. She couldn't help but to smile.

"Yeah, he is. I guess I can see why he's been with you guys this long. He's never had a family like this, just me. To have a family like what he does with you guys, that's hard to come by, especially for someone who has been through the things he has and been treated the way he has by others for most of his life. You guys don't judge him, you treat him equally. He found a trust in you all and that earned you his loyalty. And I'm glad you did, he doesn't deserve to be alone." said Marie.

"So how did you two get separated? It happen after all this went down?" asked Glenn.

"No, it was before. About 4 years before actually. I hadn't seen Daryl in 6 years by the time he found me that day we both shot that deer. And it wasn't his doing either, it was mine. And it wasn't because we had a fight either. We could disagree, but we always managed to work things out.

"Kyle was my boyfriend once and I ended up pregnant. When my dad found out, he confronted Kyle. Kyle told him that it wasn't his, that he had caught Daryl and I together and that it was Daryl's baby. Well, my dad hated Daryl. He had tried many times to keep us apart. After Kyle told him that, he saw red. He drug me out of the bed in the middle of the night, taking me into the woods so no one would hear me and took a knife, cutting my stomach open and taking the baby out. He threatened to hurt Daryl if I told anyone what happened than took me to the hospital.

"When I was able to, I called Daryl and told him where I was. He was at the hospital in no time. He kept asking me what happened but I lied to him, telling him it was a accident. I think he knew I was lying and sort of had an idea what really happened. He stayed by my side the entire time I was in the hospital though, never left me for even a second. Even took care of me when I was released. I stayed at my family's lake house while I recovered. My mom made sure no one bothered us. My sister, my mom and Merle would bring us anything that we needed. To be honest, I think he enjoyed being able to take care of me for once instead of me taking care of him.

"Once I had recovered and was able to get my life back to normal, I stayed away from my dad as much as I could but eventually I couldn't even be in the same state as him anymore. I left Georgia without telling anyone, even Daryl. I wanted to protect him. I knew if he knew for sure what really happened, he would kill both my dad and Kyle, and I didn't want to risk that. I didn't want my best friend spending the rest of life in prison because of me. That night that he showed me the bike Aaron gave him, I showed him my scar and told him the truth. He didn't even get angry with me like I thought he would, at least not until the day we took the bike out for the first time. We got in an argument about it after Kyle found us, but after I told him how I was scared and just wanted to protect him, he calmed down a little and I guess he forgave me.

"Still, he didn't deserve for me to just up and leave him without an explanation. I wrote him letters but he never got them 'cause my dad got to them first. I was too afraid to call, no matter how much I wanted to hear his voice. And I never went home, too afraid to face him and see the hate in his eyes." said Marie.

"Hey, Daryl could never hate you. He loves you. Now that he knows the truth, I'm sure that he understands why you left and doesn't blame you. Anyone would do the same in your shoes. You did what you felt you had to. But it's over and you and Daryl are together again so stop beating yourself up about it. He's already forgave you, now you just need to forgive yourself." said Glenn.

"Yeah, you're right Glenn. It's just all this shit with Kyle stirred up so many things that I tried to bury for so long. Hell, Cassie doesn't even know about any of it. I can't bring myself to tell her, her and dad were always close and I don't know how she'd react." said Marie.

"Well, the past is in the past. You decide if you want to tell her or not, but you've already told the one person who really needed to know and he forgave you. You two need each other and you deserve to be happy together. I'm sure once he gets back, he'll never want to leave your side again." said Glenn.

"I'm sure he won't, he didn't want to leave me this time but also after what happened with Kyle, he knew he didn't have a choice. He didn't want me anywhere near him and who could blame him. I didn't even want to be near him. I'll just be happy when it's over. I wonder if he found the picture I slipped in his pocket this morning." said Marie thoughtfully.

"You sly dog, what was the picture?" asked Glenn, curious to know.

"It was of Daryl, Cassie, Merle and I during one of the summers that we would spend at the lake house. My aunt took it for us. She had come to visit for a little while and we invited her up there with us. It was one of the best summers we ever had. And I even wrote a little note on the back." said Marie with a sly smirk.

"Really? What kind of note?" asked Glenn.

"I wrote, "Don't forget about us Mr. Dixon." Even though I know he won't, I couldn't help myself. I used to do stuff like that all the time. Thought he might miss it." said Marie.

"Well, I'm sure it brightened up his day and made it easier for him to deal with missing you." said Glenn.

"That was the idea." said Marie, finishing her last bite of jerky with a smile.

* * *

Daryl lay on his pad on the floor next to the fireplace, one hand behind his head and using what little light he had left from the dying fire to stare at the picture Marie had slipped in his pocket. He remembered that day fairly well. It was one of the last times her aunt was able to visit before she fell ill, but it was also one of the happiest summers they ever had. Even Merle had managed to stay out of trouble for once that summer and spent it with him, Marie and Cassie. He couldn't help but to smile as he thought about that day. He actually missed those days.

He shifted a little to get a bit more comfortable in his spot, adjusting his pillow before going back to starring at the picture.

"If you're going to polish your little turtle, please make sure you do so in another room. I personally do NOT want to hear that shit." said Abraham from his spot on the sofa.

Daryl heard Aaron laughing from the other sofa and just rolled his eyes, wondering why it had to be these two that he had agreed to allow to come with him. He was thinking now that he should have chosen two others to tag along with him, but then again he was having fun with these two. He looked at the picture one more time before tucking it safely under his pillow and deciding it was time to try and get some sleep before they had to get up early in the morning.

As Daryl drifted off to sleep some time later, the only thing on his mind was Marie and the two of them being together for however long they had left in this world.


	20. Chapter 20: First Class

The afternoon sun had risen high in the sky by the time the trio completed their mission and were on their journey back home. They had successfully left Kyle alone in the middle of the woods without a fight. They didn't give him any weapons to survive, but they did give him a few other supplies, such as food, to survive on for at least a week. After that, they didn't care what happened to him, as long as he didn't show his face in or near Alexandria or even Marie ever again.

Aaron was still driving but this time, Daryl sat in the back, the picture in his hand, and Abraham in the front passenger seat, staring out the front at the road ahead of them.

"So Daryl, what are your plans for your little firecracker once we arrive back home?" asked Abraham, catching the hunter by surprise.

"What?" asked Daryl, confused by the question.

"Well, are you gonna tell her how you really feel about her? Or are you gonna chicken out like a little yellow bellied skunk?" asked Abraham.

"I don't know what the hell you're talking about. Besides, ain't nothing to tell. Wouldn't matter if there was. A woman like Marie who is smart, beautiful, kind and doesn't judge someone by first impression deserves more than just some redneck asshole who would've never amounted to nothing if the world didn't go to shit. She deserves someone who can be romantic, give her anything and everything she has ever deserved, and someone who's a real gentleman. Someone who can make her smile and be truly happy. I'd just end up hurting her, maybe even break her or get her killed." said Daryl, his eyes turning to the floor in front of him.

"That's the biggest pile of shit I've ever heard. Even a blind dog sometimes finds an acorn." said Abraham, making Daryl look at him. He took the picture from Daryl. "This picture right here tells a story. You and Marie couldn't fit better together if you were widdled out of the same log. I have never seen anyone make her smile more than you, I have never seen her more happy than I have seen her when she is with you. You two are so protective of each other, even a cricket couldn't get to either of you. And I bet you nine ticks and a sundae that that woman has been pining for you for a long ass time. It couldn't be more obvious if you stuck pine needles in my eyes. I'm sure you did the same but were too chicken shit scared to say anything or make a move.

"And now that you have her, now that the two of you have each other, you wanna run for the hills? To hell if I can allow that! I know that you would rather die than let anything happen to her, and she'd do the same for you. You two need each other, because without each other only then are you worth nothing. And I don't see Marie caring about romance. All she gives a damn about is you. And when we get back, you _WILL_ be doing something special for that young lady even if I have to shove a stick up your ass and make you a puppet. Clear?" He handed Daryl back the picture.

Daryl took his picture back and was kind of taken back by everything that Abraham had just said to him. Apparently the man saw and noticed more than he let on.

"He's right Daryl. If you don't want to hurt Marie, and I know for a fact that you don't, you need to at least show her how important she is to you. Maybe just do something special for her, something you know that she wouldn't expect but would love. I could maybe help you out if you like. The only way you're gonna hurt Marie though is by pushing her away. I don't want to see that happen and I know you don't want to do that. It'd hurt you both. I get that in this world now, being that close to someone can be terrifying but it's also more important than ever. Gives you a reason to fight, to live." Aaron spoke up from the driver seat.

Daryl thought about what they were saying. Deep down, he knew that they were right. Marie was never afraid of being around him, never afraid of the negative attention it got her because of him. She stood by him no matter what with her head held high. She was never ashamed of being his friend or being seen with him. She willing chose to be his friend and to be there for him whenever he needed her, which was why he returned the favor when he could. He also realized that whenever she was near him, she always had a smile on her face that could brighten even the darkest of nights. A person could almost feel the joy radiating from her whenever they were around each other.

Daryl didn't know what to call the relationship they had going on now, but he knew that she was just as happy to be with him as he was her. All feelings that he felt, especially in their private moments, were returned by her and he could feel it emanate from her when they were close. His friends were right, they needed each other. And he most certainly didn't want to be the one to hurt her and pushing her away would break her heart, something that he didn't want to do if he could avoid it and he planned are doing just that.

When he looked back at the two up front, he could see them watching him as he was deep in thought. Aaron would look back at him through the rear view mirror while Abraham was simply sitting sideways in his seat just staring at his hunter friend, waiting to hear what he had to say about the conversation they had just had.

"I hate you assholes, I just want you to know that." Daryl told them, which just made the two men grin like idiots knowing they had won.

"I just love it when I win, don't you?" asked Abraham, patting Aaron on the shoulder.

"It does feel good now and then, yeah." said Aaron.

"To hell with both of ya. Let me out here, I'd rather walk from here than have to deal with you sons of bitches a minute more." said Daryl even though he wasn't totally serious, plus he knew Aaron wouldn't stop anyway.

"Nah, we all three know that Marie would have my head if I did that." said Aaron.

"Hell, she'd have mine just for allowing it." said Abraham.

"Don't tell me you two are afraid of her." said Daryl.

"Come on man, anyone smart enough would be. She is a female version of you after all, just a little more social-able and a lot...nicer." said Aaron, choosing the last bit on purpose with a grin.

"Yeah, well, screw you. See if I get you anymore rabbits." said Daryl, trying to play mad but he wasn't.

The two men up front just laughed. This mission had actually turned into a nice, fun little trip and had certainly become worth it.

Back in Alexandria, Marie had gathered a small group of Alexandrians that needed to learn to fight and defend themselves. She knew that before her, Daryl, Sasha and Abraham got back that Rosita had already taught some to use a machete so she decided to go with a knife with this group. It was one of the first things that Daryl had taught her to use so she only found it fit that she do the same. It might even be easier to learn for some of them, especially the women.

"Now, a knife can be a small weapon, but that also makes it easier to hide and just as deadly as any weapon you can have. And it can also save your life if you find yourself in a bad situation. If you have someone come up behind you and grab you, you can grab your knife and sink it into whatever body part you find first, which more usually is the thigh. Twisting it will cause more damage and prevent the wound from closing, giving you more time to get away." said Marie, holding her own knife. She used it to show them what she was talking about, using the air rather than actual flesh.

"What if it's a walker that grabs us instead of an actual person?" asked one lady.

"If there's a case of a walker grabbing you from behind, the best thing for you to do is to bring your arm up and stab it in the head before it bites you. If you can't do that, twist your body away from the walker as soon as possible. A walker isn't going to anticipate any move you make, making it easier for you to make any more you need to in order to get away from it. Walkers don't think, they just try to kill and eat whatever they can. So the best defense you have is your ability to think. Don't ever panic, that will only get you killed. Same goes if you come across any person wanting to do you harm. Keep a clear head, think quick, and never let your fear get the best of you." said Marie. She wanted to make sure that if any of the people here found themselves outside the wall, they would be able to protect themselves and come back safe. People were the best defense as well as the number of people they had, and they needed to make sure they kept as many people alive as possible.

"Can you show a few defense moves, just so we can have an idea of what kind of things we need to do if we're ever out there?" asked another person, this time a man.

"Absolutely." said Marie. She looked around to see who was closest and saw Eric walking a few feet away. "Hey Eric, you mind if I use you for a couple demonstrations?"

Eric looked up when he called to her and could see the group of people she had gathered for her defense classes she'd started having.

"Sure, I suppose I can, as long as I don't get hurt." He told her, walking over.

"You won't, I promise." said Marie, giving him a reassuring smile.

While Marie was getting ready to show the group some moves that could help save their lives using Eric, she didn't notice the gate opening, the van that drove through it, or the three men that got out once the van was stopped. The three men walked quietly over to watch the session.

"Looks like your boyfriend is being used as a demonstration dummy. Hope for your sake she doesn't hurt him too bad, otherwise no big welcome home for you tonight." said Abraham to Aaron as they watched, a smirk on his face.

"Nah, I don't think Marie would do that. She's not that mean." said Aaron.

"Care to wager on that?" asked Abraham, right before they watched as Eric go to grab Marie from behind but she countered, grabbing his arm and doing a hip throw, causing him to hit the ground rather painfully and her knife dangerously close to his head, Marie explaining something to the ground gathered around her.

"And obviously I stand corrected." said Aaron, cringing for his boyfriend as he lay on the ground for a moment before Marie helped him up.

The three men stood by as again, Marie used Eric for another demonstration, this time for a frontal attack and once again he ended up on the ground with her knife near his head.

"Hey, hey, don't hurt my boyfriend too badly now. I'm the one that has to live with him you know." said Aaron, making their presence known.

"Hey!" exclaimed Eric, quickly getting up and rushing over to his boyfriend, nearly knocking him off his feet in his excitement.

Marie walked over to the three men as well with a smile on her face, especially as she looked at Daryl.

"Hey, you made it back. How did it go?" She asked them. She was very happy to see them all back safe and in one piece, but she also needed to know if they had any problems.

"Flawless. Got rid of the little flea without any issues." said Abraham.

"Really? He didn't put up a fight?" asked Marie, a little surprised.

"Not a bit. We tossed him out right where we planned, only ran into a few walkers along the way, left the son of a bitch in the middle of the woods to fend for himself." said Daryl.

"Good. I'm just glad he's gone. We don't need anymore trouble than we've already had." said Marie, feeling relieved.

"Well, things are gonna be changing for the better around here, you mark my word little Miss Firecracker." said Abraham.

"Oh good grief, it's not bad enough to get called little Miss Sunshine by Daryl and Merle growing up, now you're gonna give me a new one?" asked Marie, exasperated.

"It's fitting. Didn't know that you already had one though. May just have to call you by both, mix it up a little." said Abraham, grinning.

"You do that and I'll use you for my next demonstration and I'll make sure I hurt you." said Marie, acting threatening to him but she wasn't totally serious.

"Bring it on Sunshine." said Abraham, motioning for her to make a move.

Marie moved to go after him, but Daryl grabbed her around the waist to restrain her, knowing fully well that she would indeed carry out her small threat, and Abraham took the opportunity to make himself scarce.

"Just for that Dixon, you're next on my list." said Marie once he had let her go, even though she would never intentionally hurt anyone. She enjoyed messing around with her guys. She was just as tough as they were and they knew it. They enjoyed messing with her just she gave it right back.

"In your dreams Simms, why don't you try it right now." said Daryl, dishing right back what she was giving even though he knew he may regret it later when they got home.

"Okay, I totally need to watch this. Would actually be good though for you two to both show these people some things." said Aaron.

Marie actually agreed with Aaron. Daryl had been her teacher, only made sense for him to help her teach others as well. She looked at him raising her eyebrows at him in question, to which he gave her a curt nod. She smiled than led him over to where her group was waiting for their lesson to continue.

Later on that night, both Marie and Daryl lay in bed after having come home and showered, now in clean clothes and the dirt and sweat removed from their skin.

"Damn girl, think ya nearly killed me out there." said Daryl. Almost his whole body was sore from the way she had thrown him around out there.

"Well, guess that means that the student has now become the master, maybe even surpassed her master." said Marie with a sly grin.

"Don't get cocky. Those people out there though, they're gonna be able to protect themselves pretty good by time you're done." said Daryl.

"I hope so. They need to be able to, never know if or when they could find themselves outside the walls and end up in trouble. Plus, ever comes a time to defend this place, we need all the able bodies we've got. Definitely need the numbers no matter what." said Marie.

"You're doing great. Glad you're the one teaching everyone, they need someone like you to show them how things are done." said Daryl.

"Thanks. Means a lot to hear you say that." said Marie, turning her head on her pillow to look over at him laying beside her.

"Noticed you started teaching them same when I started with you." said Daryl.

"Yeah, figured it was the best place to start. It was certainly a good place for me to start. Thought might be for them too." said Marie.

Silence fell over the room for a few minutes as the two lay side by side, just looking at each other and mulling through thoughts in their heads. Then Marie to sit up on her elbow, looking down at him.

"I'm glad you came back, wasn't the same without you here. Whole house was too quiet, felt too empty. Bed felt too empty and cold too without you next to me." said Marie.

"Oh yeah?" asked Daryl, wrapping an arm around her.

"Yeah. I missed you a lot. Cas stayed with Eric last night, kept him company. I was alone. Didn't mind though, always feel lonely when you're not around." said Marie.

"Missed me that much huh." said Daryl, brushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

"That I did. I know you'd miss me too if the roles had been reversed." said Marie.

"I would've. Wasn't the same, didn't feel right without you there with me but I also knew it was better you stayed here. Knew that when I got back, you'd be right there to greet me." said Daryl.

"Always." Marie told him, smiling down at him.

"Oh and I have to thank you for the little gift you slipped in my pocket." Said Daryl as he grabbed his vest from the floor and pulled the picture out.

"You're welcome. Figured you could use it. Didn't want you missing me too much." Said Marie with a smile.

"It did help. Just wanted to get back as quick as I could." Said Daryl.

"I know." Said Marie. She gave him a small smile before leaning down and placing her lips against his, kissing him. She heard him inhale deeply before kissing her back, placing his hand on the back of her head. She was gonna show him how much she'd missed him and how happy she was to have him home.


	21. Chapter 21: Always Be Grateful

_Marie headed out of the shop, leaving empty handed. They didn't have what she was looking for so she would have to look elsewhere. She had been looking in almost every shop in town, she was starting to think that she would have to head to the next town to see if they had what she was looking for. She'd have to see if Merle would give her a ride._

 _Just then, she could hear a bike coming close to her. She looked up to see Daryl in the back of a motorcycle and he came straight over to her, stopping in front of her._

 _"What do you think?" Asked Daryl._

 _"What do you mean? Dar, don't tell me this is yours?" Asked Marie, a bit taken aback._

 _"Yeah, just got it off one of Merle's old buddies." Said Daryl. He seemed pleased about his purchase of the bike._

 _"Honestly, I think you're gonna break your neck. You know I think those things are death traps." Said Marie._

 _"Ah come on Mar, as long you know what you're doing these are great." Said Daryl._

 _"And you know what you're doing I suppose?" Asked Marie. She has never seen Daryl ride one before, of course that didn't mean he didn't. They weren't always together after all._

 _"Yeah. It's not that hard once you get the hang of it. You know Merle has one too." Said Daryl._

 _"Yeah, but Merle is nuts. You're suppose to be the sane one Dar, 'least I thought you were." Said Marie, with a smile to show she was kidding._

 _"Haha. Come on, I'll show you it's not as bad as you think." Said Daryl, reaching out and motioning for her to get on the back of the bike._

 _"No, I don't think so." Said Marie quickly, taking a step back._

 _"Mar, come on, you know I would never let anything happen to you." Said Daryl, gently trying to coax her into get in the back. He could tell that she was scared._

 _"I don't know Dar." Said Marie, staring at the bike._

 _"Mar, look at me." Said Daryl softly, waiting until Marie raised her eyes to look at him. "You have to trust me. I would never let you get hurt, you know that. I know you're scared but you don't have to be, not with me."_

 _Marie stared at her best friend, seeing the sincerity in his eyes. She knew he was only trying to help. He would never force her to do something she didn't want to, but he didn't like seeing her afraid of anything either. He only gently coaxed her to do other things though, never pushed her. So after a few moments of thought, she nodded than eased her way on behind Daryl._

 _"You know I trust you." She told him._

 _"Yeah I know. Just hold on, and promise I'll go slow." Said Daryl._

 _Marie put her hands on his waist, not really sure what she was supposed to do. She had always been too afraid to get on the back of a motorcycle so she kept her distance from them. Being on the back of one with Daryl though, it just felt different. She knew she could trust him to take care of her._

 _Daryl started the bike back up and then he took off as slow and gentle as he could. It still seemed to scare Marie because she wrapped her arms tightly around him, holding on for dear life. He put a gentle hand on her arm and after a minute that seemed to help her relax and her hold loosened._

 _Daryl took Marie outside of town. They usually preferred to stay away from everyone when they hung out anyway, it usually led to back things happening. Not far from town, he found a quarry so he pulled off. He parked the bike than waited as Marie got off before he got off himself._

 _"Wow, this is beautiful." Said Marie, admiring the scenery. The water was so clean, the sun and clouds reflecting off of it. And it was surrounded by trees, which was something they both loved and enjoyed. "You know, if I could I'd build a house and just live out here. It'd be so quiet and peaceful."_

 _Daryl sat on a rock while he watched Marie as she spoke, walking closer to the quarry. He could tell she meant every word. That's one thing he liked about her, that she preferred the woods like he did. It may not be for the same reasons, but that didn't matter to him. They were more alike than anyone thought they were or thought they should be._

 _"One day, I'm getting away from this place, go somewhere far away from here and build my own place in the middle of the woods away from people. Just live off of the land like you've taught me to. And you're coming with me. What do you think?" Asked Marie, sitting on the rock next to her best friend._

 _"You should know what I think Mar." Said Daryl, suddenly feeling a little bit uneasy. He wasn't sure why._

 _"Yeah, but I wanna hear it from you. I wanna know what you think." Marie told him and it was true, she did. She always valued his opinion, more than he realized._

 _"You know I've always thought about it, getting away from this place and the people in it. Well not all of them, just the bad ones, the ones not like you. Especially the ones like my dad. And I've never felt comfortable anywhere except in the woods. Of course, if I had to chose any one person to take with me, I'd pick you." Said Daryl, his eyes shifting a little, looking at her than somewhere else than back._

 _Marie couldn't help but smile listening to Daryl's answer. Of course she knew what he'd say, she still needed to hear it from him. Sometimes he could be hard to read, even for her and they had known each other since they were kids, literally grown up together. They knew each other very well, but Daryl also liked to change things to throw people off and not be too predictable. It was one of the ways he tried to protect himself, which she'd never fault him for. He had his reasons._

 _"Well, then one day that's what we're gonna do. We're gonna find the perfect place to go and we're gonna do just what we wanna do. We're gonna do it our way." She said._

 _"What about Merle? And Cassie?" Asked Daryl, curious._

 _"I don't know. I mean Cas gas plans to go to college and get this big career. Wants to be an event planner but she wants her main clients to be like actors and singers. And Merle, not sure he'd ever actually leave. I mean if he did, that'd be great. You know I'd never leave him behind. But he'd have to built his own cabin near ours." Said Marie, half as a joke and half serious._

 _"Fair enough." Said Daryl with a small laugh. He did know that his brother had a knack for causing trouble and being incredibility irritating. He understood well enough what Marie was getting at._

 _"You really think we can do it? Just leave everything and everyone we know behind?" Asked Marie._

 _"Well, I know I could, especially for you? Wouldn't you?" Asked Daryl._

 _"Leave everything behind for you? In a heartbeat. I'd do anything for you." Said Marie._

 _"I know you would. I've never asked to do the things you do for me but you do them anyway and I know it's cause you care about me. I'm grateful, grateful for all you've done for me. Always will be." Said Daryl._

 _"You're my best friend, you don't have to ask me for anything." Said Marie, smiling as she placed her hand on his._

 _Daryl only nodded, not sure what he could say. He had never been good with words anyway._

 _"So, how'd you get the bike anyway?" Asked Marie curiously._

 _"Saved up the money. Took a while but I finally managed to save enough." Said Daryl._

 _"You mean the money I've been helping you with? You spend all that on a bike?" Asked Marie. She wasn't mad, just a little surprised._

 _"No, not all of it on the bike." Said Daryl, looking down._

 _Marie was confused. What else could he have spent it on? Before she could ask, she watched him reach into his pocket and pull something out._

 _Daryl took hold of Marie's hand, facing it palm up. He then placed something in it than closed it._

 _Marie took her hand from Daryl's, bringing it toward her than opening it. She gasped a little when she saw what he'd placed in her hand. It was a locket, a silver locket with angel wings on the front. She opened it and inside was a tiny picture of the two of them together, smiling. She looked back up at her best friend._

 _"It's beautiful Daryl. I love it." She told him. She leaned forward and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you." She then put it on._

 _"Promise you'll never take it off." Said Daryl. It might seem ridiculous to anyone else but this request was very important to him._

 _"I promise Dar, I'll never take it off." Said Marie, her fingers grazing over the angel wings._

 _Ever since Daryl gave her the locket, Marie felt that she needed to get him a gift as well. It took a little time but she eventually found the perfect one. Or rather she made it. And she was meeting up with Daryl to give it to him right now, although she hadn't told him that she had something for him. She wanted to surprise him so she hid it in a bag that she was able to sling over her shoulder._

 _Right then, Daryl pulled up on his bike and she couldn't help but smile. She always smiled whenever he was around. He just had a way of making her smile._

 _"Miss me that much already?" Said Daryl jokingly._

 _"Only always. Besides, I have something for you." Marie told him, taking the back off._

 _"Mar, you know I hate when you do things like that. You don't always have to get me things." Said Daryl. He felt a little every time Marie bought him something rather than saving her money for herself._

 _"I know, but I wanted to. Plus, it suits you and I know you'll really like it once you see it." Said Marie. She pulled it out of the bag and gave it to him._

 _Daryl held up a leather vest. When he turned it around, he saw it had angel wings on the back, much like the ones on Marie's locket._

 _"Figured you have a bike now so you're gonna need a vest too. Sewed the wings on myself. You like it?" Asked Marie._

 _Daryl couldn't help staring at the vest. It was best thing she'd ever given him. And her taking the time to sew the wings on it herself made it that much more special to him. He couldn't help himself as he grabbed her and hugged her tight._

 _"I love it Mar. Thanks." Said Daryl._

 _Marie smiled as she returned the hug. One because it was unusual for Daryl to actually hug someone first and two because he said he loved the vest. She hoped that he would._

 _"You're welcome Dar." Was all she told him, not wanting to break the moment just yet._

 _It was a few minutes before they did finally pull apart, Daryl clearing his throat out of slight embarrassment. He felt awkward._

 _"Well, put it on! Let's see how it looks." Said Marie._

 _Daryl climbed off his bike than slipped the vest on. He liked the way it fit. Not too big but not small either. He was young and knew he still could grow some so he didn't have to worry about it getting too small for him._

 _"It looks great on you Dar. It's perfect for you." Said Marie with a happy smile. She was pleased with herself. Of all the gifts that she had gotten him over time, this one she felt the most pride with._

 _"Come on, feel like going for a ride now." Said Daryl with a smile, getting back in his bike._

 _Marie gladly climbed on behind Daryl, placing her arms around his waist, holding on as be started the bike and headed off._


	22. Chapter 22: Getting On Track

The next morning, Daryl and Marie were awakened by the sounds of gunfire. They quickly jumped out of bed, threw on some clothes and ran outside. They listened for a moment before realizing the shots were coming from the gate. They ran toward the shots and the gate where they saw Maggie, Tobin, Aaron, Eric, Heath, Tara and a few others.

"What the hell's going on?" Asked Marie, concern etched on her face.

"Tobin and his crew were working in fixing the wall from the other side when a couple Walkers came out of nowhere. Someone fired shots and it drew more. Now there's a small group coming this way. There's a couple guys still trapped out there." Explained Maggie.

"Shit." Said Marie, grabbing the rifle from Aaron and running over to the gate, wrenching it open. She killed the Walkers that tried to get in than stood in front of the gate. She saw the approaching Walkers Maggie had told her about and the few community member in front of them, guns raised but not firing while backing away. She moved toward them, knowing the other would handle the gate and any Walkers that tried to get through.

Aiming the rifle, Marie shot several Walkers and took them down. The people she came out to save looked at her in surprise. They still had their guns raised but still wouldn't pull the trigger. They were too scared.

"Don't just stand there, shoot!" Marie barked at them, shooting more walkers that came at them and each one falling.

The two turned and looked at the Walkers moving toward them than back at Marie. They did this a few more times before they turned and hightailed it back toward the gate, leaving Marie alone.

"Damn it." Cursed Marie, shooting more and more walkers. She had half a dozen left when she ran out of ammo. "Shit." She quickly used the end of the rifle to knock down the nearest Walker, bashing it's head in. She then threw down the rifle than pulled her handgun out from behind her from the waistband of her jeans than shot the last five.

However, Marie didn't see the one coming at her from the trees until she heard the whistle through air and the arrow lodge itself in the Walkers skull. She looked at the Walker than over her shoulder at the man who she knew had shot that arrow. She gave him a nod of thanks, which he returned but she could tell that he was also furious but not with her.

Marie picked up the rifle than headed back behind the safety of the gate, glad she found Daryl a new crossbow a week ago. She saw the two people she had just saved simply standing there, looking scared and guilty. She handed the rifle back to Aaron than walked over to them.

"That was incredibility stupid. Do you want to die? Because next time, you may not have someone there to save your asses and you freeze up like there with nowhere to go, no community to run to for safety, you WILL die. If you have a shot, you take it. You don't freeze and you don't run unless you're alone, outnumbered and have no choice. Stupid shit like that will get you killed out there. Don't let me see you pull that crap again." Said Marie, not bothering to hide the anger in her voice but at the same time, keeping herself in check.

"Yes ma'am." Said one.

"We're sorry." Said another.

"Sorry doesn't excuse the fact that you almost got her killed." Growled Daryl, taking a few steps toward them but Marie stopped him.

"You're lucky I'm as good as I am, which is only because of him." Said Marie, pointing at Daryl. "And you're lucky he had my back or else you'd be torn to pieces right now." She nodded her head, signaling they could leave and they did without hesitation.

"How close is the wall to being finished?" Maggie asked Tobin, drawing the focus elsewhere.

"If we hadn't had those Walkers interrupt us, we could've probably gotten it done on a few more hours." Said Tobin.

"I'm sure you're crew isn't too eager to go back out there." Said Aaron.

"Well actually, if we had at least a couple people go out with us to watch our backs, we could get it done." Said Tobin.

"Aaron and I can go out there." Tara volunteered.

"I'll get Sasha and Abraham to cover from the inside." Said Maggie.

"Daryl and I will cover 'til you find them." Said Marie.

Maggie nodded before walking away.

Marie and Aaron made a quick run to get more ammo and rifles, Aaron setting his aside to be cleaned later. They then headed back.

"How're things with you and Daryl?" Asked Aaron.

"Oh they're great, really great. Gave him a nice welcome home last night, which I'm sure you got one from Eric as well." Said Marie with a huge grin.

"Yeah, after he finished whining about you throwing him around." Said Aaron.

"Hope I didn't hurt him too bad. I just really get into it. Can't help it." Said Marie, cringing a little at the thought she may have hurt her friend.

"Oh I know that, he does too. You have things your passionate about, like anyone else. Of course you're not passionate about anything more than you are Daryl." Said Aaron as he watched her automatically lock eyes on the man in question.

"I don't know what you are talking about." Said Marie, playing innocent.

"Oh yes you do. The way you automatically seek him out, the way your body reacts to him before he even says or does anything. The way you automatically smile when he's near, the way you're eyes light up when you look at him. Like the way they are right now." Said Aaron.

"Whatever you say my friend." Said Marie even though she knew what Aaron was saying was true.

"Uh huh. Well I know one thing, you two are in love." Said Aaron.

Marie said nothing but she didn't feel the same way. Sure, she would admit in a heartbeat she was in love with Daryl but she wasn't sure about him being in love with her.

A few hours later, Marie was walking around Alexandria in search of Daryl. He had vanished after Abraham and Sasha had replaced them on the wall and she hadn't seen him since, and neither had anyone that she had asked so far. She was hoping that he was just out hunting, she just wished he would have told her where he was going rather than simply vanishing.

Resigning to simply wait for him to come back, Marie turned and headed back to their house. She went up to her and Daryl's room and when she did, she spotted a piece of paper on the bed, one that she didn't remember being there before. She walked over and picked it to see it was for her and it was Daryl's handwriting.

 _Marie,_

 _Times have changed. Things have been going so good between us, better I ever thought possible. I also know that I don't deserve you. You are incredible woman and I see it everyday. Every morning that I get to wake up next to you, I am more and more thankful._

 _I also know that in a normal world, you should be with a better man than me, a man who could give you more than I'd ever could. After hearing you say you want me, I don't want to let you go. I wanna keep you by my side the rest of our lives. I've never wanted with anyone the things I want with you._

 _I've never been good with expressing how I feel or been good with words. I'm not some guy who is romantic but I would do anything for you. And I wouldn't have to think twice. I'd give up the world for you. And I wanna show you just how you make me feel every single day I have with you._

Marie could feel her heart pounding in her chest and a smile spread across her face, a few tears catching in her eyes. She had watched a few romance movies before the world fell apart, but nothing was more romantic to her than this. Then she noticed a small note at the bottom.

 _By the way, you should open your locket, take out the picture in it._

Marie was confused by the request but she did just as instructed. She set down the letter than took hold of the locket, opened it and removed the picture Daryl had put in it when he gave it to her. What she saw made her gasp. Inside was an inscription:

 _I have fallen in love many times, always with you._

Marie felt her breath catch in her throat. She couldn't believe it. Daryl Dixon was in love with her! He did love her! Just as much as she loved him, for as long as she did. And she had been wearing the proof around her neck for years. Why hadn't she seen this before? She'd never taken the locket off, it meant too much to her to risk losing it.

Right then she heard a noise and looked up to see Daryl standing in the doorway of their room, watching her. His eyes shifted and she could tell that he was nervous. She slowly got to her feet and walked toward him.

"Why didn't you ever tell me?" She asked softly.

"You know why." Said Daryl, shifting his weight anxiously.

Marie only nodded. She did know.

"Come on, wanna show you something." Said Daryl. He turned and headed back down the stairs.

Marie was confused but followed after him. She followed him as he grabbed his new crossbow than kept making his way out the door. As she kept up with him, she noticed a car parked in front of the gate. She was curious but didn't question as they moved toward it.

"Hop in." Daryl instructed, climbing in the driver seat.

Marie did as he asked without question, walking around to climb in the passenger seat. The gate was opened as he started the engine than drove on through. She watched the trees go by as Daryl drove.

The drive was silent for a while as Daryl drove the car toward it's destination. He knew exactly where they were going, but he wasn't going to tell Marie. He wanted it to be a surprise. He was doing this for her and he wanted to do it right.

"We've been driving a while. Where are we going?" Marie finally asked.

"You'll see." Was all Daryl said.

Marie couldn't help but smile. She knew that was the most likely answer she'd get and she was right.

"You wrote that letter on your own?" She asked.

Daryl only grunted his response.

"Well, it was...the most romantic thing I've ever read." Said Marie. She watched Daryl turn his head to look at her. She smiled at him. "I mean that."

Daryl couldn't stop the smile that appeared on his face, turning his attention back to the road. He reached over and took her hand in his.

When Daryl reached over and put his hand on hers, Marie felt her heart melt. She gave his hand a squeeze than looked back out the window, enjoying the view as they drove.

Some time later, Marie not sure how long it was, Daryl pulled off the road and ahead Marie could see they were sitting in front of a log cabin. She looked over at Daryl.

"Found this place with Abraham and Aaron. Stopped here when we were getting rid of Kyle." Said Daryl. He climbed out of the car than walked around and opened Marie's door for her, helping her out and he then led her inside.

Marie couldn't believe it when they walked in. There were candles placed and lit strategically around the room, giving in a soft glow. On the table was containers of food with two plates and a bottle of wine.

"Daryl, it's beautiful." Said Marie, feeling breathless.

"You like it?" Asked Daryl.

"I love it." Said Marie, turning and grabbing him by the back of his neck and pressing her lips to his. She heard him moan in surprise than felt him encompass himself in the kiss.

It was a few minutes before either one of them moved and when they finally did, they slowly pulled away and just looked at each other. Their eyes said all without words needed.

"Food's gonna get cold." Daryl finally managed to say.

Marie nodded than together the two of them walked over to the table and sat down.

Daryl dished out the food, which wasn't exactly a romantic dinner. It simply just some canned bake beans, some mixed canned fruit, noodles and some meat from one of his hunts. He wished he had more but he also knew it'd have to do.

After dishing out the food, Daryl grabbed a couple glasses and the wine, getting ready to open it and pour them each a glass.

"You know, kinda surprised you grabbed wine and not a bottle of whiskey." Said Marie.

Daryl paused what he was doing, reaching on the other side of the table and holding up a bottle of whiskey.

Marie couldn't help but smile.

"That's the Daryl Dixon I know." She said, patting him on the shoulder.

Daryl said nothing, pouring some wine into the glasses. He placed one in front of Marie with her plate, the other in front of himself, putting the bottle aside.

The two of them are, just enjoying each other's company for the time being. They didn't always need to talk when they were together, only relish in one another's company. That was what they enjoyed most, especially Daryl. Words weren't always needed between them.

When they were finished eating to their fill and were simply sipping on their wine, Marie curled up against Daryl, her head on his shoulder and inhaled his unique scent. She never felt more content than when she was pressed close to him.

Daryl put his arm around her, holding her closer and laying his head against hers. Most contact made him uncomfortable but with Marie, it felt different. He actually enjoyed it.

"How long we have here?" Marie asked.

"Just tonight, head back in the morning." Said Daryl.

"Oh. Was hoping we'd have at least a couple days here alone." Said Marie.

"Can't stay gone long, might need us back home." Said Daryl.

"I know, I was just hoping to have more time alone with you. We don't get much time where it's just you and I." Said Marie.

"I know. We will though. Let's just enjoy tonight." Said Daryl.

"Oh, I thoroughly plan on doing just that." Said Marie with a mischievous grin on her face.

Daryl knew exactly what was going through her mind. He took her wine glass from her, setting it in the table. He then stood up, taking her by the hand and leading her toward the bedroom, grabbing a candle on the way. He set the candle on the dresser than turned his attention to her. He placed a hand on the side if her face, staring into her eyes than leaned down, placing his lips against hers.

Marie closed her eyes and let herself get lost in the moment and the feeling of Daryl's lips on hers. His kiss was soft and gentle. She welcomed it. She always would. Nothing was better to her than the feeling of Daryl's lips pressed against hers.

Daryl broke away for a moment, reaching for the hem of Marie's shirt and pulling it up over her head, tossing it aside. He then surprised her further by picking her up bridal style and carrying her over to the bed. He set her down, taking the time to remove her shoes before joining her on the bed.

Marie watched his every move, her mind wondering what he could have planned for tonight. He had obviously thought everything out and was purposely taking his time with her. She knew it had to be part of the plans he'd made for her. She also knew this kind of behavior was unlike him, he wasn't into the romance stuff but here he was, providing a dinner and wine in a cabin they had to themselves and now was putting his full attention on her. He was being romantic. And she intended on enjoying every bit.

Daryl moved up on the bed, reclaiming her lips and easing her onto her back. His kisses remained slow and soft, not like his kisses from their other times before. He wanted all of his focus on Marie. He wanted to show her how much she meant to him and he was going to do it in the ways he knew how. He wanted tonight to be about her and only her.

When Marie went to unbutton his shirt, he grabbed her wrists and stopped her, pulling back from the kiss. He could see she was confused.

"Tonight is about you Mar. Just you." He told her.

"Dar, you don't have to do all this for me. I'm happy just being with you." Said Marie. She didn't want him to feel obligated to try and romance her.

"I know, but I want to. I wanna do all this for you." Said Daryl.

"I just don't want you to feel like you have to do this to make me happy." Said Marie, gently brushing hair out of his face.

Daryl just looked at her before leaning down and recapturing her lips. He knew. He knew he didn't have to do all of this to make her happy with him. She was happy with him just being himself. He wanted to sonething nice for her though, to show her how much he cared about her.

Reaching down, he began to unbutton and unzip her jeans. He broke the kiss so that he could pull them down her legs and off, sending them to join her shirt. He then stood, standing before her by the bed as he slowly began to unbutton his shirt, watching her as her eyes watched his hands, licking her lips hungrily. Once he got last button undid, he slowly slipped it off his shoulders and down his arms til it hit the floor. He then repeated the process with his jeans, undoing his belt as well as his button and zipper just as slow than easing them down his legs to join his shirt. He could tell that by this point Marie was practically drilling over him and he had her so turned on but she kept herself in check since he told her tonight was only about her.

Daryl got back up in the bed and rejoined his woman on the bed, leaning down over her but careful not to put all his weight on her. This time instead of placing his lips back on hers, his lips found their way to her neck. He placed light kisses and nips up and down her neck, feeling her arch into him to try and get closer.

"Oh Daryl, you have an incredible body." Marie whispered in his ear as her hands roamed his chest, abs, stomach, back and arms.

Daryl gave her neck and little harder nip, making her gasp and arch further in him, her hips grinding into his. It felt good, made him want to rip off the rest of their clothes and finish what he had started but he held his resolve. He wanted to do this right, just like he had planned.

Daryl moved his hand slowly down from her neck, mirroring Marie's movements when she'd explored his body as his hand moved to her chest to her stomach using feather light touches. He stopped at her stomach, not sure what to do from there so he started to move back up when Marie grabbed his hand and stopped him, instead leading his hand back down her stomach toward her underwear.

Daryl moved back to look down into her eyes, her staring right back. He wasn't sure what she was having him do but he wanted to learn. He wanted to know more ways that he could please her and if she was willing to show him, he was more than willing to learn what she had to show him.

Marie pushed Daryl's hand further down, her eyes never leaving his and his never leaving hers. She pushed his hand down into her underwear than inserted two of his fingers inside of her, two of hers on top of his, moving with his and showing him what to do. She bit her bottom lip but her eyes still never moved from his.

Daryl felt himself becoming harder as he watched Marie and the way she felt with his fingers inside her. The way her face contorted with pleasure as her fingers guided his in and out of her. It was a huge turn on to watch. It made him want her even more.

"You want me Dar?" Asked Marie seductively.

"Yeah." Said Daryl, still watching her.

"This is turning you on isn't it?" She asked him even though she could feel his hard on.

Daryl silenced her by kissing her hard and deep, making her moan into his mouth. His resolve was weakening. He couldn't hold out much longer. He needed her, needed to feel her, needed to be inside her. He removed his fingers from inside her, reaching around and unhooking her bra, pulling it from her body without breaking their kiss.

Marie wrapped her arms around his neck, keeping him close. She was enjoying this night, everything about it. Daryl was really making it all about her and her only. She then felt his hand on her breast, gently kneading and massaging. She couldn't help arching her back, pushing her breast further into his hand. It seemed no matter where he touched her, it felt really good. His touch felt like it set her whole body in fire.

Daryl took note of the way his touches made her feel, the way he made her body react. It made him feel more confident and happy to know that he was the one who made her feel like this, him and only him. It also only encouraged him further. Pulling away briefly, he removed her underwear than his own, crawling back up her body to feel it all beneath his own. He guided himself as he inserted himself inside her, listening to her moan as he filled her up. He began moving slowly, wanting to last well into the night.


End file.
